(a) Whether the budget allocation for Ministry of Women and Child Development is a mere one per cent of total outlay and gender budgeting across Ministries is stagnant at 5 per cent of total outlay as it was 10 years ago in 2005:
(b) If so, whether this inadequate resource allocation has made an adverse impact on the
rolling out and implementation of many women and child welfare related schemes: and
(c) If so, the reaction of the Government to enhance the budget allocation?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI KRISHNA RAJ)
(a) to (c) : The Ministry of Women and Child Development has been consistently promoting gender budgeting across the country as a pathway to ensure gender mainstreaming at all levels and stages of the budgetary process. Gender Budget Statement was introduced as a part of the Union Budget in 2005-06. To facilitate integration of gender analysis in policies, programmes and schemes, the Ministry of Finance in consultation with the Ministry of Women and Child Development had issued a Gender Budget Charter on 8th March, 2007 outlining the composition and functions of the Gender Budgeting Cells (GBCs). The most important milestone in this regard has been the institutionalization of the progress through formation of GBCs in various Ministries and Departments. As of now, 57 Central Ministries /Departments have set up GBCs. Another important progress made in the Gender Budgeting system is inclusion of a column on gender impact in the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) document with effect from 1st April, 2014 for inclusion of women’s concerns at the planning stage and inclusion of a gender perspective in the Outcome Budget Process. The magnitude of Gender Budget as reflected in the GB Statement shows allocations made for women by different Ministries / Departments has increased from Rs. 14,378.68 crores in 2005-06 to Rs. 90,624.76 crores in 2016-17.
(b) In order to strengthen the process of gender budgeting, the Ministry of Women and Child Development has been undertaking various capacity building measures for the officials of the State Government by organizing training programmes/workshops on Gender Budgeting regularly. The training programmes are focused on increasing awareness about the need and importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting along with the framework and tools to undertake Gender Budgeting. A Gender Budgeting Plan Scheme was launched during the year 2007- 08 to this effect.
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