Maharashtra Govt Allocates ₹64,008 Crore For Gender-Specific Initiatives In 2025-26 Budget | Representative pic
Mumbai: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said the government allocated Rs 64,008 crore for gender-specific initiatives in the 2025-26 budget, seeking to allay concerns over the reduced allocation for the Ladki Bahin Yojana in the annual financial plan.
Tabling the gender budget in the assembly, Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, said the gender budget allocation constitutes 8.45% of the total budget expenditure. This allocation is part of the main budget presented on March 10, and it doesn’t mean a separate budget for women.
Mahayuti Govt Draws Flak From The Opposition
The Mahayuti government had drawn flak from the Opposition for slashing the allocation for the flagship Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme for women from Rs 46,000 crore in the July 2024 budget to Rs 36,000 crore in the latest budget. Pawar also said an allocation of Rs 1,00,605 crore has been made for the child budget, accounting for 13.28% of the total outlay.
The overall budget expenditure stands at Rs 7,57,576 crore. Pawar said that Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) serves as a tool to bridge gender disparities in public finance, assuming that these economic policies affect women, men, and others alike.
“This innovation in public finance helps to mainstream and prioritise gender equality and related issues,” he added.
Pawar stressed that the GRB is not about a separate budget for women but about integrating gender sensitivity, awareness, and gender equality into the overall budgeting process. He said this initiative aims to strengthen administrative processes, set targets for women’s empowerment, and assess the impact of financial provisions..
