Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26

The Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26 marks a significant milestone in India’s journey toward inclusive and gender-equitable governance.

With a record-breaking allocation of ₹4.49 lakh crore, this year's gender budget reflects a strategic commitment to women's empowerment and gender-responsive policymaking.

Announced by the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development, this enhanced allocation aligns with India's broader vision of Viksit Bharat, focusing on women-centric investments and targeted welfare schemes.

The launch of the Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub on June 20, 2025, further reinforces the structural commitment to inclusive fiscal planning.

Why is Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26 Important?

The Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26 has increased by 37% compared to the previous financial year.

This sharp rise underlines the government's emphasis on strengthening gender-responsive governance mechanisms and ensuring that public finance benefits women and girls across sectors.

Over the last decade, the gender budget has grown over 4.5 times—from ₹0.98 lakh crore in FY 2014–15 to ₹4.49 lakh crore in FY 2025–26.

This reflects the increasing recognition of the need to integrate gender perspectives in budgetary and policy decisions.

Highlights of the Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub

Coinciding with the Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26, the Ministry launched a dedicated portal—Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub.

This platform is designed to support all central ministries, departments, and state governments in implementing gender budgeting more effectively.

The hub provides:

• A repository of best practices from across India

• Gender budgeting templates, guidelines, and tools

• Draft training manuals and sector-specific modules

• Case studies of successful women-centric programs

This initiative is a major step in strengthening institutional capacity and ensuring that the goals of the Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26 are achieved at every level of governance.

Ministry's Vision and Policy Direction

According to Minister Annpurna Devi, gender budgeting is no longer seen as just an accounting tool but a strategic policy framework.

The Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26 is expected to shift focus from expenditure tracking to monitoring actual outcomes that improve the lives of women and girls.

The initiative aligns with the following broader goals:

• Promoting gender equality across sectors

• Strengthening the Ministry of Women and Child Development budget framework

• Ensuring policy implementation through data-driven insights and monitoring

Consultation and Collaboration

The launch event saw participation from officials of 40 central ministries, 19 states, and representatives from international organizations such as UN Women and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The national consultation emphasized 20 years of India’s gender budgeting experience and discussed the path forward post the Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26.

Discussions focused on:

• Draft training modules for ministries

• Gender analysis in economic policies

• Integration of gender indicators in policy evaluation

These initiatives are in line with global best practices and reinforce India's leadership in gender-responsive budgeting.

Final Thoughts

The Gender Budget Allocation 2025–26 is more than just a financial statement—it is a declaration of intent. It demonstrates India’s firm resolve to empower its women through dedicated funding, systemic reform, and digital innovation.

With initiatives like the Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub, the Centre is investing not only in programs but in outcomes.

For SSC aspirants, this topic is a high-value addition to their current affairs preparation and essay writing.