Union Budget 2024| Gender Budget sees a significant increase

The Gender Budget component of this year accounts for 6.78% of the total Budget.

New Delhi: An allocation of more than Rs 3 lakh crore for schemes that will benefit women and girls, setting up of working women hostels in collaboration with industry and establishing creches to facilitate higher participation of women in the workforce, and women-specific skilling programmes are among the key announcements made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday for women and the gender sector.

“For promoting women-led development, the Union Budget carries an allocation of more than Rs 3 lakh crore for schemes benefitting women and girls. This signals our government’s commitment for enhancing women’s role in economic development,” the finmin said in her Budget Speech. She added that the government will also promote market access for women self-help group enterprises.

The Gender Budget component of this year (Rs 3,27,158.44 crore) accounts for 6.78 per cent of the total Budget. Allocation for the Gender Budget saw a significant hike from 2024-24 when the allocation was ₹2,23,219.75 crore. This is an increase of over 46 per cent.

The allocation in Part A of the Gender Budget – schemes where 100 per cent allocation is for women – rose from Rs 88044.21 crore in FY23 (with revised estimates of Rs 83259.52 crore) to Rs 112396.15 crore this fiscal – a hike of 27.6 per cent. The major chunk of the allocation among these schemes was for the Rural Housing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana which saw an allocation of Rs 54500.14 crore. A new scheme – Namo Drone Didi – saw an allocation of Rs 500 crore.

Despite the increased allocation, a major chunk of the spend for women safety in the Gender Budget Statement saw a significant decrease in allocation. The allocation for women safety schemes under the ministry of home affairs fell from Rs 1613.10 crore in FY23 (and revised estimates of Rs 1125.65 crore) to Rs 753.43 crore in FY24.

The Safe City Project scheme, which had an budgetary allocation of Rs 1300 crore in 2023-24, and was revised to Rs 516.52 crore, has been allocated only Rs 214.44 crore in FY24. Similarly the Emergency Response Support System saw a decrease in allocation from Rs 221 crore (revised estimates of FY23 was Rs 205.07 crore) in FY23 to Rs 150 crore in FY 24.

The outlay for the women and child development ministry saw a marginal increase of 2.5 per cent – from Rs 25448.7 crore in FY 23 to Rs 26092.19 crore in FY24. The lion’s share of the allocation was set aside for the nutritional schemes – Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 – which were allocated Rs 21,200 crore this fiscal. This is an increase from the Rs 20,552.31 crore allocated in FY23. Additionally, a new scheme announced for children – a contributory pension scheme named ‘Vatsalya’ where parents and guardians can contribute till the minor attains majority, after which the plan can be converted into a normal NPS account.

Key takeaways

1. Rs 3 lakh crore set aside for schemes for women

2. The outlay for Gender Budget (Rs 3,27,158.44 crore) accounts for 6.78 per cent of Budget.

3. Women safety schemes saw a decline in allocation.

4. WCD ministry saw a marginal increase of 2.6 per cent in allocation.

Union Budget 2024 LIVE | Making a record for any Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman presented her 7th consecutive Union Budget on July 23, 2024 under the Modi 3.0 government. This Budget brought tax relief for the middle class, while focusing on jobs through skilling, incentivising employers. Track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analysis only on Deccan Herald. Also follow us on WhatsApp, LinkedIn, X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.