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On February 1, 2025, Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman, presented the Union Budget for FY 2025-26 in Parliament. The allocation for the Gender Budget has increased to 8.86% of the total Union Budget, up from 6.8% in the previous fiscal year.
Highlights of the budget allocation:
- The Gender Budget Statement for FY 2025-26 reports an allocation of ₹4.49 lakh crore for the welfare of women and girls.
- This is an increase of Rs. 37.25% over the GBS allocation of Rs. 3.27 lakh crore in FY 2024-25.
- In FY 2025-26, a total of 49 Ministries/Departments and 5 Union Territories (UTs) have reported allocations in the Gender Budget Statement (GBS).
- This is an increase from 38 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs in FY 2024-25.
- The number of reporting Ministries/Departments in GBS 2025-26 is the highest since its inception.
- Twelve new Ministries/Departments have reported allocations in the GBS 2025-26 are 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, and Ministry of Railways.
- These 49 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs have reported allocations in Part A, Part B and Part C of the Gender Budget Statement.
- 1,05,535.40 crore (23.50% of total GBS allocation) have been reported by 17 Ministries/Departments and 5 UTs in Part A (100% women specific schemes);
- 3,26,672.00 crore (72.75%) have been reported by 37 Ministries/Departments and 4 UTs in Part B (30-99% allocation for women) and,
- 16,821.28 crore (3.75%) have been reported by 22 Ministries/Departments in Part C (below 30% allocation for women).
Top 10 Ministries/Departments that have reported more than 30% of their allocations in the Gender Budget for FY 2025-26 are:
- 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%).
