11.5% hike in funds for women-specific projects

The government will spend more on women as allocations on various programs aimed at improving the conditions of women and empowering them have substantially been increased by 11. 5 percent.

The government will spend over Rs 90,624 crore this year against Rs 81,249 crore in 2015-16.

The Gender Budget is the part of the Budget and it gives the amount spend on women-specific programmes. The Gender Budget includes expenditure for both 100 % women-specific programs and programs in which at least 30 percent are spent on women.

The increase in allocations has been made in most programmes, including programs that are being run by various ministries. They include programs run under health, education and other ministries. However, the allocations for the Ministry of Women and Child Development have increased only marginally from Rs 17,351 to Rs 17,408.

The Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS) is the flagship scheme of the ministry. The allocation for ICDS is Rs 14,000 crore for this year.  This scheme seeks to provide an integrated package of health, supplementary nutrition and education services to children up to six years of age, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Empowerment of Adolescent Girls (SABLA) is a comprehensive scheme that address the multidimensional problems of adolescent girls (11-18 years) and is being implemented in 205 districts across the country.

The allocation of SABLA for this is Rs 460 crore.

Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahyog Yojna (IGMSY), a Conditional Maternity Benefit (CMB) scheme, is a pilot intervention in selected 53 districts of the country using the framework of the existing ICDS programme. The allocation  for IGMSY this year  is Rs 400 crore.

Another centrally-sponsored scheme Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) is being implemented with a view to create a safe and secure environment for comprehensive development of children. The allocation for ICPS for 2016-17 is Rs 400 crore.

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao is an initiative of the government which aims at  addressing  the issue of declining child sex ratio (CSR) through a mass campaign in 100 selected districts low on CSR. Scheme has been extended to another 61 Districts. An allocation of Rs 100  crore has been made for the scheme.