Maharashtra's Major Budget Shift: Paving the Way for Gender Equality

Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced a Rs 64,008 crore allocation for gender-specific initiatives in the 2025-26 budget. Despite a decrease in funds for the Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme, the state aims to integrate gender sensitivity and equality through Gender Responsive Budgeting to combat disparities.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar unveiled a significant shift in the state's budget allocations, designating Rs 64,008 crore for gender-specific initiatives for 2025-26. This move comes amid criticism over reduced funding for the Ladki Bahin Yojana, with only Rs 36,000 crore allocated compared to last year's Rs 46,000 crore.

Pawar emphasized that the gender budget allocation, constituting 8.45 percent of total expenditure, is not a separate budget for women but part of a broader strategy to integrate gender sensitivity and equality into financial planning. The overall budget outlines substantial sums for the child budget too, amounting to Rs 1,00,605 crore, representing 13.28 percent of the total outlay.

The Deputy Chief Minister underscored the importance of Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) as a tool to bridge gender disparities, claiming it enhances public finance by prioritizing gender equality. This approach, Pawar noted, is vital for setting empowerment targets and assessing the impact of fiscal provisions on women's lives.

(With inputs from agencies.)