Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Annpurna Devi, announced that the Union Budget 2025-26 has significantly prioritised women and child development, with a 37.25% increase in funding compared to the previous year. The allocation for women’s welfare has risen to Rs. 4.49 lakh crore, highlighting the government’s strengthened financial commitment to gender-focused initiatives.
The Gender Budget, which directs resources toward programs benefiting women and girls, now constitutes 8.86% of the total budget, up from 6.8% in the 2024-25 fiscal year, reflecting a stronger emphasis on women’s empowerment and child development.
Annapurna Devi outlined the specifics of these allocations during a press briefing in New Delhi. The increase in funds will be directed toward several critical areas, particularly maternal and child nutrition and women’s entrepreneurship. The Minister stressed that 81.79% of the Women and Child Development Ministry’s budget will go toward gender-based initiatives, underscoring the government’s focus on improving outcomes for women and children.
One of the major areas of focus in the new budget is tackling malnutrition. The Suposhit Panchayat Scheme, launched in late 2024, aims to improve health and nutrition outcomes at the grassroots level by recognizing Gram Panchayats that perform well in these areas. The Minister also announced that the 7th Poshan Pakhwada, scheduled for March 2025, will emphasize key themes like nutrition during the First 1,000 Days of Life and addressing childhood obesity.
While the increased budget for women’s welfare was a highlight, concerns remain about the actual implementation of these programs. Critics have pointed out that despite consistent budget increases in recent years, ground-level challenges—such as the quality of services in anganwadis and accessibility of healthcare for rural women—still persist.
The government’s flagship Beti Bachao Beti Padhao program, aimed at promoting gender equality, was also celebrated during the budget announcement, with over 1,342 events held across the country. However, there are continuing calls for more transparency in how funds are utilized for such large-scale programs, which have faced criticism in the past for focusing too much on awareness campaigns without addressing structural gender disparities.
