From an increase in gender budget allocation to skill development, the 2025-26 Union Budget has a slew of measures benefitting women.
The Union Budget 2025-26, presented on February 1, 2025, by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced several initiatives aimed at empowering women and promoting gender equality in India.
Here are five key highlights:
- Significant Increase in Gender Budget Allocation: he Gender Budget has been allocated ₹4.49 lakh crore for FY 2025-26, marking a 37% increase from the previous year.
- Enhanced Participation of Ministries in Gender Budgeting: This year, 49 Ministries and Departments, along with 5 Union Territories, have reported allocations under the Gender Budget, reflecting a more integrated approach to addressing women’s issues across different governmental branches.
- Support for Women Entrepreneurs and Self-Help Groups (SHGs): The budget introduces initiatives to empower women entrepreneurs, particularly through support for SHGs, enabling them to scale operations and integrate more effectively into the economy.
- Tax Reforms Benefiting Women: The budget proposes raising the nil tax slab threshold to ₹12 lakh annually and recalibrating tax slabs and rates, which is expected to enhance the spending power of the middle class, including women.
- Focus on Skill Development and Employment for Women: The budget emphasizes organizing skill development programs tailored for women, aiming to enhance their employability and entrepreneurial capabilities.