| 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 |
| Key Highlights | Details |
| --- | --- |
| 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 | Details |
| --- | --- |
| 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 | Details |
| --- | --- |
| 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 | Details |
| --- | --- |
| GBS as a percentage of total expenditure | 5% in FY 2019-20, now 9% in FY 2025-26 |
| Challenges in Allocation Reporting | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Stagnation in Part A allocations | While more schemes are gender-sensitive, absolute allocation for women-centric schemes might not be increasing as much |
| Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) | Allocation for women declined from 49% to 31% |
| Implementation Gaps | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Grameen (PMAY-G) | Only 23% of houses allotted to women |
| Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 | Concerns about how allocations are structured |
| Top 10 Ministries/Departments with Highest Gender Budget Allocations | Details |
| --- | --- |
| 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% |
