British philosopher JS Mill, in his renowned book “The Subjection of Women,” stated that “the exclusion of women from the public sphere and politics not only harms women but also men and adopting the principle of gender equality will bring about a fundamental transformation in societal betterment.”
No country or society can truly develop until all its citizens contribute fully to its progress. We know well that countries that have endured the scourge of colonialism still suffer from this issue today, with women often excluded from mainstream development, resulting in them being labelled as third-world nations even 75 years after gaining independence from colonial powers. In the context of India, women have traditionally been marginalized in development efforts. Although governments do create plans to achieve gender equality, they often fail to implement them effectively.
In India, two major institutional changes have been made to include women in the mainstream: the introduction of “Gender Responsive Budgeting” and the establishment of a separate “Ministry of Women and Child Development.” Firstly, regarding “Gender Responsive Budgeting,” it serves as a powerful tool for integrating women into the mainstream. While this concept began in several countries in the 1980s and 1990s, it was introduced in India in the 2005 budget. The main aim of Gender Responsive Budgeting is to ensure that policymaking and resource allocation are done in a way that allows women to benefit from development equally with men. Till FY 2024-25, the Gender Budgeting Statement had two parts: Part A which includes schemes that provide 100 per cent allocations for women and girls, and Part B with 30-99 per cent scheme allocations. Since last FY, the current dispensation has come up with a third part–Part C–which includes 1-29 per cent scheme allocations for women and girls.
When discussing women’s reforms, it is crucial to start from childhood to dismantle the double standards society has traditionally held and ensure they are not deprived of their rights once they become part of the active workforce.
Economic and social upliftment of women is essential for their overall advancement. In line with this, the current government has launched the “Mission Shakti,” a comprehensive women empowerment program focusing on both welfare and security. It is divided into two parts: “Sambal,” which focuses on women’s safety, and “Samarthya,” which focuses on empowering women. The Sambal scheme, which includes initiatives such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, One Stop Centres, Nari Adalats, Women’s Helpline, and Mahila Police Volunteers, while Samarthya, which covers programmes like Swadhar Greh for women in distress, the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, Working Women’s Hostels, and the National Crèche Scheme.
Earlier only cosmetic reductions in taxes were considered part of the women’s budget, now women’s participation is being ensured in areas such as entrepreneurship, co-operatives, cottage industries, education, health, and infrastructure which shows the tectonic shift our policy institutions have gone through to incorporate women’s role in the economy building.
In the 2025-26 budget, the total allocation for the Women and Child Development Ministry is ₹26,889 crore. This is an increase from a Revised Estimate of Rs 23,182 last year. The allocation in the last budget had been ₹26,092 crore. In order to facilitate financial independence for women, the budget also announced a new scheme under which five lakh women would be provided entrepreneurship loans of up to two crore for the next five years. The scheme will incorporate lessons from the successful Stand-Up India scheme. Online capacity building for entrepreneurship and managerial skills will also be organised. Budget also states that the cost norms for the nutritional support under the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programme would be enhanced appropriately. Both the schemes provide nutritional support to more than eight crore children, one crore pregnant women and lactating mothers all over the country, and about 20 lakh adolescent girls in aspirational districts and the north-east region.
These announcements are likely to have a significant impact on women’s lives. To ensure women’s participation across all sectors, central and state governments and various ministries must collaborate and take institutional steps in the right direction. Providing education and training from childhood and integrating future women into the workforce are essential for their contribution to be fully realized. While much has been done, much more remains to be accomplished.
