Women Empowerment and Child Development Minister Rekha Arya has written to Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan suggesting that 30 percent of the upcoming budget be allocated to women’s empowerment. The share of the gender budget in the state’s annual budget has increased every year, and a further increase is expected this time as well.
In Uttarakhand, the gender budget was approximately 12 percent in 2021-22, which was increased to 13.77 percent in 2022-23. Subsequently, the gender budget remained around 14 percent in 2023-24, while 16 percent was allocated in 2024-25. In 2025-26, the gender budget constituted about 17 percent of the total budget of ₹1,01,175 crore.
More Funds Needed to Strengthen Women’s Position
Minister Rekha Arya stated that the system of gender budgeting has been in place in the state for almost two decades, but initially, a smaller portion of the budget was allocated to it. She said that the BJP government has increased the gender budget every year for the past five years.
More funds are needed to truly empower the women of the state and strengthen their economic and social standing. She has written to Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan suggesting that 30 percent of the upcoming budget be allocated to women-centric schemes.
What is Gender Budgeting?
The state government makes a provision for a gender budget in the general budget. The amount sanctioned under the gender budget is spent on schemes for the upliftment and empowerment of women, implemented through various departments. There is no provision to spend the gender budget on any other purpose
