THE CONTEXT: Gender Budgeting was introduced in India in 2005-06 as a tool for mainstreaming gender perspectives in policymaking. It aligns with global commitments like CEDAW (Convention on Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women) and Beijing Platform for Action. The concept emerged from Australia’s Women’s Budget Statement (1984) and has been adopted by over 90 countries.
GENDER BUDGET STATEMENT (GBS) STRUCTURE: GBS represents a paradigm shift from “women-specific budgeting” to “gender-responsive budgeting”. Tripartite classification system demonstrates nuanced approach to gender mainstreaming. It reflects India’s commitment to SDG 5 and gender-responsive governance.
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- Part A: 100% allocation for women has fluctuations from 21% (2019-20) to 24% (2025-26).
- Part B: 30-99% allocation for women has dominated consistently above 70% of total GBS.
- Part C: 1-29% allocation (introduced recently). Strategic inclusion of schemes with minimal gender component.
KEY STATISTICS FOR FY 2025-26
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- Total Allocation: ₹4.49 lakh crore
- Represents 9% of total government expenditure
- A significant 37% increase from FY 2024-25
PART-WISE DISTRIBUTION
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- Part A: 24% (₹1.08 lakh crore) – Schemes with 100% allocation for women
- Part B: 73% (₹3.28 lakh crore) – Schemes with 30-99% allocation for women
- Part C: 4% (₹13,470 crore) – Schemes with 1-29% allocation for women
SECTORAL ALLOCATIONS
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- Health: Ayushman Bharat reports 47% beneficiaries as women, reflecting targeted healthcare interventions.
- Education: Schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao focus on improving female literacy and STEM participation.
- Rural Development: DAY-NRLM mobilized over 8.6 crore women into self-help groups (SHGs), fostering economic empowerment.
- Housing: PMAY-G prioritizes house ownership in women’s names but faces implementation gaps (only 23% houses allotted to women).
IMPLEMENTATION ANALYSIS OF GENDER BUDGET STATEMENT (GBS) FY 2025-26:
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- Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): 31% of JJM’s budget is earmarked for women in FY 2025-26. Decline from 49% allocation in previous years, signaling reduced focus on women-centric implementation.
- Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Grameen (PMAY-G): Listed under Part A (100% allocation for women). Only 23% of houses have been allotted to women as of February 2025.
- Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0: Dual categorization under Part A and Part B, indicating partial and full allocations for sub-schemes. Restructuring of sub-schemes has made it difficult to track specific allocations and outcomes.
CHALLENGES IN GENDER BUDGETING:
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- Methodological Issues: The classification of schemes into Part A (100% allocation), Part B (30-99% allocation), and Part C (1-29% allocation) often lacks consistency. Ministries lack standardized methodologies for reporting allocations under GBS. The introduction of Part C in FY 2022-23 has added complexity without addressing existing inconsistencies.
- Implementation Gaps: Ministries often fail to collect and report gender-disaggregated data, making it difficult to assess the actual impact of schemes on women. This is particularly evident in multi-sectoral programs like Ayushman Bharat and MGNREGS. The absence of robust monitoring frameworks hampers the evaluation of scheme effectiveness.
- Structural Issues: Regular gender audits are not institutionalized across ministries, leading to a lack of accountability for gender-focused expenditures. Gender budgeting requires collaboration across ministries and departments, but siloed approaches often undermine its effectiveness. The emphasis on increasing allocations often overshadows the quality of implementation.
GLOBAL BEST PRACTICES IN GENDER BUDGETING:
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- Austria: Introduced in 2009, it requires all levels of government to incorporate gender equality in budgetary processes. The Ministry of Education focuses on increasing the participation of girls in STEM fields. Regular audits assess whether budget allocations align with gender equality goals.
- Sweden: The Swedish government established the Gender Equality Agency to oversee implementation. A robust framework evaluates progress across sectors like health, education, and employment. Use of Gender Impact Assessments (GIAs) to evaluate the potential effects of policies on women before implementation.
- South Korea: South Korea institutionalized the Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) system under its Framework Act on Gender Equality (2014). Policies are assessed for their potential impact on gender equality before approval. Government officials receive training on conducting GIAs effectively. South Korea’s female labor force participation increased from 52% in 2010 to 61% in 2024.
THE WAY FORWARD:
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- Standardize GBS Reporting Methodology: The Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with NITI Aayog, should issue standardized guidelines for GBS reporting. Mandate all ministries to collect and report gender-disaggregated data for schemes under GBS.
- Introduce Gender Audits: Institutionalize gender audits across all ministries under the supervision of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Develop audit frameworks based on global best practices like Austria’s constitutional mandate for gender budgeting.
- Strengthen Monitoring Mechanisms: Establish a centralized monitoring cell under NITI Aayog to oversee GBS implementation. Tamil Nadu’s Gender Lab uses data analytics to monitor the impact of gender-focused schemes, setting an example for other states.
- Promote Gender-Responsive Planning Across Ministries: Mandate all ministries to adopt a gender-responsive planning framework. Align GBS with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) suggests integrating gender budgeting with national development plans for greater impact.
- Build Capacity for Gender-Sensitive Budgeting: Integrate gender budgeting modules into Mission Karmayogi, India’s capacity-building program for civil servants. Conduct workshops at state and district levels to train officials on tools like Gender Impact Assessments (GIAs).
- Integrate GBS with Outcome-Based Budgeting: Develop an outcome-based evaluation framework linked to measurable indicators such as female labor force participation or maternal health outcomes. Publish annual outcome reports alongside budget documents to enhance accountability.
THE CONCLUSION:
The Gender Budget Statement (GBS) FY 2025-26, with ₹4.49 lakh crore allocations (9% of total expenditure), reflects progress in gender-responsive governance, but the dominance of Part B schemes (73%) and stagnation in Part A (24%) highlight the need for outcome-based budgeting, robust gender audits, and capacity building to ensure tangible empowerment for women. By institutionalizing global best practices and leveraging technology, India can align its fiscal policies with SDG 5 and foster inclusive development.
UPSC PAST YEAR QUESTION:
Q. Women empowerment in India needs gender budgeting. What are the requirements and status of gender budgeting in the Indian context? 2016
MAINS PRACTICE QUESTION:
Q. Discuss how the integration of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) into national policies can help in achieving gender parity in India.
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