Center boosts budget for women’s welfare and empowerment efforts

Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the budget today in parliament. The Economic Survey 2023-2024 highlights India’s commitment to transitioning from women’s development to women-led development. According to a press release by the Ministry of Finance, the Survey emphasizes the resilience of the Indian economy and its stable post-Covid recovery.

The survey underscores the government’s commitment to “Nari Shakti” through legislative measures and provisions aimed at boosting women’s participation in diverse professions. It reveals that the budget for women’s welfare and empowerment schemes has surged by 218.8 per cent, growing from Rs 97,134 crore (BE) in FY14 to Rs 3.10 lakh crore in FY25. Additionally, the Gender Budget Statement (GBS) has seen a 38.7 per cent increase compared to FY24 BE, with its share in the total Union Budget rising to 6.5 per cent in FY25, the highest since its introduction in FY06.

The Survey also emphasizes the importance of ensuring the health and education of the girl child, citing improved national sex ratio at birth and a decrease in maternal mortality rate. Programs like “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana have played pivotal roles in raising awareness and fostering the welfare of the girl child. Government initiatives aimed at empowering women have focused on improving women’s conditions and addressing gender-specific disadvantages.

Initiatives like the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programs highlight the principle that women’s health is foundational to societal health. Women’s education remains a key enabler of empowerment, with programs like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and the Right to Education achieving gender parity in school enrollment. Furthermore, the Survey notes an increase in women’s participation in training programs under various schemes, such as the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana and the Jan Shikshan Sansthan Scheme.

The Women in Science and Engineering-KIRAN (WISE KIRAN) program and the Vigyan Jyoti program are also mentioned as initiatives aiming to increase women’s participation in STEM fields, benefiting women scientists and increasing enrollment of female students in science and technology courses.