Women empowerment in India needs gender budgeting. What are the requirements and status of gender budgeting in the Indian context?

Introduction

Gender budgeting is a fiscal innovation aimed at addressing gender disparities by integrating a gender perspective into the budgetary process. In India, where women constitute nearly 48% of the population (Census 2011) but face significant socio-economic challenges, gender budgeting is a critical tool for achieving women empowerment and ensuring inclusive development. The Beijing Declaration (1995) and India's adoption of gender budgeting in 2005-06 underscore its importance in policy-making.

Value Addition Block — Key Dimensions of Gender Budgeting

Requirements for Gender Budgeting in India

1. Institutional Framework

• Dedicated Gender Budget Cells (GBCs): Ministries and departments must establish GBCs to integrate gender concerns into policies and programs.
• Capacity Building: Training officials to understand and implement gender-responsive budgeting.
• Coordination Mechanism: Collaboration between the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) and other ministries.

2. Data and Evidence-Based Policy

• Gender-Disaggregated Data: Collection and analysis of data to identify gender gaps in sectors like health, education, and employment.
• Impact Assessment: Regular evaluation of schemes to measure their effectiveness in addressing gender disparities.

3. Adequate Financial Allocation

• Targeted Schemes: Increased budgetary allocation for women-centric schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Mahila Shakti Kendra.
• Sectoral Focus: Prioritizing sectors like education, health, and skill development where gender gaps are pronounced.

4. Legislative and Policy Support

• Legal Mandates: Strengthening laws like the Equal Remuneration Act and Maternity Benefit Act to ensure gender equity.
• Policy Alignment: Integrating gender budgeting with broader frameworks like SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and DPSPs.

5. Monitoring and Accountability

• Outcome-Based Monitoring: Linking budgetary allocations to measurable outcomes for women.
• Transparency Mechanisms: Publishing gender budget statements to ensure public accountability.

Status of Gender Budgeting in India

1. Progress Achieved

• Institutionalization: Gender budgeting was introduced in 2005-06, and 57 ministries/departments now report gender budgets.
• Increased Allocations: The gender budget has grown over the years, with ₹2.23 lakh crore allocated in 2023-24 (Union Budget).
• Success Stories: Schemes like Janani Suraksha Yojana and PM Ujjwala Yojana have significantly improved maternal health and reduced drudgery for women.

2. Challenges

• Fragmented Implementation: Gender budgeting is often limited to a few ministries, with uneven adoption across states.
• Inadequate Allocations: Gender budget constitutes only 4.9% of the total Union Budget (2023-24), which is insufficient to address systemic gender disparities.
• Lack of Data: Absence of comprehensive gender-disaggregated data hampers effective planning and monitoring.
• Weak Monitoring Mechanisms: Limited focus on outcome-based evaluation reduces accountability.

3. State-Level Initiatives

• Kerala: Pioneered gender budgeting with a focus on women’s health and education.
• Odisha: Integrated gender budgeting into its state planning process.
• Maharashtra: Allocated funds for women’s safety and empowerment under its gender budget.

Way Forward

• Strengthening Institutional Mechanisms: Expand the scope of Gender Budget Cells and ensure their effective functioning across all ministries and states.
• Enhancing Financial Commitments: Increase the share of the gender budget to at least 10% of the total budget.
• Capacity Building: Conduct regular training programs for officials to mainstream gender concerns in budgeting.
• Leveraging Technology: Use digital platforms for real-time monitoring of gender-focused schemes.
• Community Participation: Involve women’s groups and civil society in the planning and monitoring of gender budgets.

Conclusion

Gender budgeting is a transformative tool for achieving women empowerment and bridging gender gaps in India. By aligning it with constitutional values of equality (Article 14), DPSPs (Article 39a), and SDG 5, India can ensure inclusive and sustainable development. A robust gender budgeting framework will not only empower women but also contribute to the nation’s overall socio-economic progress.