Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub launched by the Ministry of Women & Child Development to promote inclusive governance and gender-responsive budgeting with ₹4.49 lakh crore allocated for 2025.
Centre Launches Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub to Empower Inclusive Governance
A Landmark Initiative for Gender-Responsive Finance
On June 19, 2025, the Ministry of Women & Child Development, led by Union Minister Annpurna Devi, unveiled the Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub—a centralized digital platform designed to support gender-responsive planning and budgeting across India Launched during a national consultation at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the portal brings together senior officials from 40 central ministries, representatives from 20 state governments, and international organizations such as UN Women and the Asian Development Bank
What the Hub Offers
The portal serves as a one-stop resource featuring policy briefs, training manuals, best-practice case studies, gender-disaggregated data, and interactive analytical tools It enables stakeholders at the central and state levels—such as policymakers, researchers, civil society groups, and development institutions—to effectively integrate a gender lens into every stage of budget planning, implementation, and monitoring
Strategic Shift in Gender Budgeting
Minister Devi emphasized that gender budgeting has evolved from a traditional fiscal exercise into a strategic instrument for promoting inclusive governance and Viksit Bharat @2047 She noted that when the government invests in women, it invests in a more just and empowered society.
Robust Financial Commitment
India’s gender budget has significantly grown—from ₹0.98 lakh crore in 2014–15 to ₹4.49 lakh crore in 2025–26—a more than 4.5‑fold increase The FY 2025–26 allocation of ₹4.49 lakh crore represents a 37% increase over the previous year
Nationwide Dialogue & Capacity Building
The launch event doubled as a national consultation focused on strengthening gender budgeting processes across sectors. Participants discussed two decades of gender budgeting achievements, reviewed a draft training manual, and shared innovative approaches—from successful schemes to governance innovations
Why This News Is Important
Pillar of Inclusive Governance
Embedding gender perspectives into the fiscal process ensures that the needs and concerns of women and girls are addressed in policymaking. By transforming gender budgeting into a strategic governance tool, India underscores its commitment to equity and social justice—an essential step for exams like UPSC, PSC, banking, and railway, which test awareness about government initiatives.
Enhances Exam-Relevant Concepts
This development aligns with key PSC and UPSC themes such as Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB), SDG 5, and Viksit Bharat @2047. Aspirants must understand how budgeting frameworks can drive gender equality and why fiscal policymaking is an instrument for socio-economic transformation.
Strengthens Institutional Frameworks
The portal supports capacity building across ministries and states, promoting evidence-based policymaking. For teacher and civil service aspirants, it illustrates how digital tools enhance governance, policymaker accountability, and data-driven public administration—topics often featured in mains papers and interviews.
Historical Context of Gender Budgeting in India
From Line-Item to Strategic Tool
India introduced its first Gender Budget Statement in 2005–06, marking the entry of gender considerations into the budgetary framework What began as a fiscal reporting tool gradually evolved into a broader strategy for gender mainstreaming—ensuring policies are gender-sensitive at all stages.
Massive Fiscal Growth
Gender-related allocations have skyrocketed—from ₹0.98 lakh crore in 2014–15 to ₹4.49 lakh crore in 2025–26This growth reflects enhanced government commitment to gender equity through dedicated financial mechanisms.
A Multifaceted Implementation Ecosystem
- Central level: The Ministry of Women & Child Development leads policy and coordination.
- State level: Departments like Social Welfare, Finance, and Planning develop gender budgets.
- District and sub-district levels: Centers for Women’s Empowerment, staffed with gender specialists, operationalize budgeting in local areas
Continuous Capacity Building
In the recent consultation, officials reviewed a Training Manual on Gender Budgeting, using it to standardize best practices and strengthen budgetary governance across sectors .
Key Takeaways from “Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub”
| S. No. | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| 1. | The Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub is a national digital portal launched on 19 June 2025 by the MoWCD, aimed at institutionalizing gender-responsive budgeting |
| 2. | The platform provides centralized policy briefs, training manuals, best practices, gender-based data, and analysis tools for planners and implementers . |
| 3. | The FY 2025–26 gender budget stands at ₹4.49 lakh crore, up 37% from the previous year, showing continued fiscal support for women’s inclusion . |
| 4. | India’s gender budgeting journey began in 2005–06; over 11 years allocations have risen from ₹0.98 lakh crore to ₹4.49 lakh crore . |
| 5. | The inaugural National Consultation at Vigyan Bhawan convened officials from 40 central ministries, 19 states, UN Women, and ADB—to review achievements and strengthen capacities . |
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub?
The Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub is a centralized digital platform launched by the Ministry of Women & Child Development (MoWCD) to support and institutionalize gender-responsive planning and budgeting in India.
2. When was the Gender Budgeting Knowledge Hub launched?
It was officially launched on June 19, 2025, during a national consultation at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
3. Why is gender budgeting important?
Gender budgeting ensures that government budgets address the specific needs and challenges faced by women and girls. It promotes inclusive and equitable governance by allocating resources based on gender-specific priorities.
4. How much has India allocated in its gender budget for 2025–26?
The total allocation for gender budgeting in FY 2025–26 is ₹4.49 lakh crore, a 37% increase from the previous year.
5. How is the portal expected to help exam aspirants?
The portal promotes awareness of gender-focused policy implementation and can serve as a model case for questions related to gender-responsive governance, digital public infrastructure, SDGs, and inclusive budgeting in UPSC, PSC, banking, and other competitive exams.
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