The Union Budget 2025-26, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, 2025, has made significant strides in gender budgeting, increasing the share of the Gender Budget allocation to 8.86% of the total Union Budget, compared to 6.8% in FY 2024-25. The allocation for women and girls has risen to ₹4.49 lakh crore, marking a 37.25% increase from the previous year’s ₹3.27 lakh crore. Additionally, 49 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs have reported gender-specific allocations, making it the highest number of contributors to the Gender Budget Statement (GBS) since its inception.
Key Highlights of Gender Budget 2025-26
- Total Gender Budget Allocation: ₹4.49 lakh crore (up 37.25% from ₹3.27 lakh crore in FY 2024-25).
- Share of Gender Budget in Union Budget: Increased to 8.86% (from 6.8% in FY 2024-25).
- Number of Reporting Ministries/Departments: Increased to 49 (from 38 in FY 2024-25).
- Number of Reporting UTs: 5 UTs have contributed to GBS allocations.
New Ministries/Departments Reporting for First Time in GBS
- Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying
- Department of Biotechnology
- Department of Food & Public Distribution
- Department of Financial Services
- Department of Fisheries
- Department of Land Resources
- Department of Pharmaceuticals
- Department of Water Resources, RD & GR
- Ministry of Food Processing Industries
- Ministry of Panchayati Raj
- Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways
- Ministry of Railways
Breakdown of Gender Budget Allocations
- Part A (100% women-specific schemes): ₹1,05,535.40 crore (23.50% of total GBS).
- Part B (30-99% allocation for women): ₹3,26,672.00 crore (72.75% of total GBS).
- Part C (Below 30% allocation for women): ₹16,821.28 crore (3.75% of total GBS).
Trends in GBS
- Since its introduction in FY 2005-06, the Gender Budget Statement has consistently grown, with a steady increase in the proportion of total expenditure dedicated to women and girls.
- The GBS as a percentage of total expenditure was 5% in FY 2019-20, and it has now reached 9% in FY 2025-26.
Challenges in Allocation Reporting
- Despite the increase in the total allocation, Part A (100% women-specific schemes) has seen stagnation over the years.
- This suggests that while more schemes are being gender-sensitive, the absolute allocation for women-centric schemes might not be increasing as much.
- The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), which has historically targeted women by reducing the time spent fetching water, shows a decline in the allocation for women from 49% to 31%. This raises concerns about the long-term commitment towards women-focused implementations.
Implementation Gaps
- Some schemes, like the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Grameen (PMAY-G), while reflecting women’s ownership in their reporting (Part A), show low implementation (only 23% of houses allotted to women). This suggests discrepancies between the budget allocation and actual ground-level impact.
- Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0, focusing on women’s health and nutrition, has reported both Part A and Part B allocations, which raises concerns about how these allocations are structured.
Areas for Improvement
- The reporting mechanisms for the Gender Budget need greater clarity. Ambiguity in the methodologies and the rationale behind allocations can hinder accountability.
- The addition of Part C offers a more comprehensive approach, but the government should focus on refining the reporting of allocations to ensure they reflect actual gender-specific goals.
- In addition to reporting allocations, there is a need for gender-oriented audits across ministries to ensure that the allocations lead to tangible outcomes for women.
- Regular audits will help move beyond just accounting exercises and focus on empowering women through better implementation of schemes.
Top 10 Ministries/Departments with Highest Gender Budget Allocations
Ministry/Department | % Allocation in Gender Budget |
Ministry of Women & Child Development | 81.79% |
Department of Rural Development | 65.76% |
Department of Food & Public Distribution | 50.92% |
Department of Health & Family Welfare | 41.10% |
Ministry of New & Renewable Energy | 40.89% |
Department of Social Justice & Empowerment | 39.01% |
Department of Higher Education | 33.94% |
Department of School Education & Literacy | 33.67% |
Ministry of Home Affairs | 33.47% |
Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation | 31.50% |
Summary/Static | Details |
Why in the news? | Gender Budgeting in 2025-26: A Step Toward Inclusive Growth |
Total Gender Budget Allocation | ₹4.49 lakh crore (up 37.25% from ₹3.27 lakh crore in FY 2024-25) |
Share of Gender Budget in Union Budget |
8.86% (up from 6.8% in FY 2024-25)
|
Number of Reporting Ministries/Departments |
49 (up from 38 in FY 2024-25)
|
Number of Reporting UTs |
5 UTs included
|
New Ministries/Departments Reporting for the First Time |
11 new ministries/departments
|
Part A (100% women-specific schemes) |
₹1,05,535.40 crore (23.50% of total GBS)
|
Part B (30-99% allocation for women) |
₹3,26,672.00 crore (72.75% of total GBS)
|
Part C (Below 30% allocation for women) |
₹16,821.28 crore (3.75% of total GBS)
|
GBS as a percentage of total expenditure (FY 2025-26) |
9%
|
Top Ministry with Highest Allocation |
Ministry of Women & Child Development (81.79%)
|
Areas for Improvement |
Greater clarity in reporting and gender-oriented audits
|