<p>New Delhi: Self-help groups were a focus in this year’s <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Union%20Budget">Budget</a>, with Finance Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Nirmala%20Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</a> announcing women-led community-owned retail outlets called Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts, which she said was the next step from the flagship Lakhpati Didi Scheme. In all, the Gender Budget this year saw an increase of 11 per cent in allocation from last year. </p><p>“Building on the success of the Lakhpati Didi Programme, I propose to help women take the next step from credit-led livelihoods to being owners of enterprises. Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts will be set up as community-owned retail outlets within the cluster level federations through enhanced and innovative financing instruments,” the finance minister said in her Budget speech. </p>.Union Budget 2026 | Nothing concrete on affordable housing: CREDAI.<p>The Gender Budget component of Budget 2026-27 saw an allocation of Rs 5,00,878.73 crore, an increase of 11 per cent from the allocation of the previous year (Rs 4,49,028.68 crore). </p><p>It must, however, be noted that the revised budget for 2025-26 was Rs 3,97,884.98 crore. The Gender Budget this year accounts for 9.36 per cent of the total Budget, which is an increase from 8.86 per cent in FY 2025-26. </p><p>The allocation in Part A of the Gender Budget – schemes where 100% allocation is for women – rose marginally from Rs 102274.89 crore in FY 2025-26 (with revised estimates of Rs 72,117.37 crore) to Rs 1,07,688.42 crore this fiscal. </p><p>A lion’s share of the gender Budget allocation went to Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) scheme that supplies foodgrains to the needy, which saw an allocation of Rs 1,08,915.75 crore, an increase from Rs 1,07,638.78 crore last fiscal. Apart from that, key allocations went to the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin scheme which was allocated Rs 52,575 crore, and Jal Jeevan Mission (Rs 33,022.96 crore). </p><p>The allocation for the women and child development ministry saw a marginal increase in allocation – it went up 4.8 per cent from Rs 28,183.06 crore in FY 2025-26 to Rs 26,889.69 crore in 2026-27. </p><p>The bulk of the ministry’s allocation was on the POSHAN scheme which was earmarked Rs 23,100 crore this fiscal. </p>
<p>New Delhi: Self-help groups were a focus in this year’s <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Union%20Budget">Budget</a>, with Finance Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/search?q=Nirmala%20Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</a> announcing women-led community-owned retail outlets called Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts, which she said was the next step from the flagship Lakhpati Didi Scheme. In all, the Gender Budget this year saw an increase of 11 per cent in allocation from last year. </p><p>“Building on the success of the Lakhpati Didi Programme, I propose to help women take the next step from credit-led livelihoods to being owners of enterprises. Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts will be set up as community-owned retail outlets within the cluster level federations through enhanced and innovative financing instruments,” the finance minister said in her Budget speech. </p>.Union Budget 2026 | Nothing concrete on affordable housing: CREDAI.<p>The Gender Budget component of Budget 2026-27 saw an allocation of Rs 5,00,878.73 crore, an increase of 11 per cent from the allocation of the previous year (Rs 4,49,028.68 crore). </p><p>It must, however, be noted that the revised budget for 2025-26 was Rs 3,97,884.98 crore. The Gender Budget this year accounts for 9.36 per cent of the total Budget, which is an increase from 8.86 per cent in FY 2025-26. </p><p>The allocation in Part A of the Gender Budget – schemes where 100% allocation is for women – rose marginally from Rs 102274.89 crore in FY 2025-26 (with revised estimates of Rs 72,117.37 crore) to Rs 1,07,688.42 crore this fiscal. </p><p>A lion’s share of the gender Budget allocation went to Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY) scheme that supplies foodgrains to the needy, which saw an allocation of Rs 1,08,915.75 crore, an increase from Rs 1,07,638.78 crore last fiscal. Apart from that, key allocations went to the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana – Gramin scheme which was allocated Rs 52,575 crore, and Jal Jeevan Mission (Rs 33,022.96 crore). </p><p>The allocation for the women and child development ministry saw a marginal increase in allocation – it went up 4.8 per cent from Rs 28,183.06 crore in FY 2025-26 to Rs 26,889.69 crore in 2026-27. </p><p>The bulk of the ministry’s allocation was on the POSHAN scheme which was earmarked Rs 23,100 crore this fiscal. </p>