Prem Chowdhry
Author and former academic, Delhi University
Gender-responsive budgeting was adopted in India in 2005, and since then, there have been steady budgetary allocations for various programmes specific to women. These women-related programmes are now an essential part of every budget document. This year has also not been an exception.
Both at the Centre and in the states, ‘women’s empowerment’ is the key focus area. Last week, the Delhi government, while presenting its budget, claimed that the ‘role of women is the key to the progress’ of Delhi, and hence, providing them with accessible healthcare and education is a must in order to empower them and give them a larger role in the economy. For this, they promised 500 anganwadi centres and 100 mahila mohalla clinics in various parts of the city. Similar claims have been made by the Centre in the Union Budget 2021-22, which allocated funds to its various schemes covering the Integrated Child Development Services, anganwadi services, Poshan Abhiyan, Scheme for Adolescent Girls and the National Creche Scheme.