Gender budget allocation sees 128 pc rise over five years: WCD

New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) India's gender budget has witnessed a substantial 128 per cent increase over the past five years, rising from Rs 1.43 lakh crore in FY 2020-21 to Rs 3.27 lakh crore in FY 2024-25, according to official data.

Women and Child Development Minister of State Savitri Thakur informed the Rajya Sabha in a written response that a significant allocation has been reported in the Gender Budget Statement for FY 2024-25 by 43 ministries, departments and Union Territories (UTs), reflecting a 37.3 per cent increase over the previous fiscal year’s allocation.

Key contributors to the gender budget include the Ministry of Rural Development, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

These entities have allocated a substantial percentage of their budgets to gender-focused initiatives under their respective schemes, she said in response to a question in Rajya Sabha.

The gender budget, introduced as part of the Union Budget in 2005-06, serves as a tool to promote gender equity by highlighting allocations for women-focused schemes and programmes. PTI UZM UZM SKY SKY