Articles
A Roadmap for Gender Budgeting: Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Women’s Safety in 2026–2027
India has been at the forefront of gender budgeting since 2005-06, and over the years, it has improved by adding more ministries reporting allocations for women. In the 2025-2026 Budget, the overall allocation has increased by 2.06 per cent compared to the 2024-25 Budget. A total of 49 ministries/departments and five Union Territories have reported separate allocations for women. Expenditure Statement 13, which deals with gender budget, is divided into three parts: Part A—100 per cent women-specific schemes, Part B—30-99 per cent allocation for women, and Part C—below 30 per cent allocation for women.
In the past decade, the Central Government has been prioritising women’s empowerment and safety—“nari shakti.” Many new schemes have been implemented, such as Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, Mission Shakti, with two sub-components —Sambal and Samarthya—to focus on safety and empowerment in a structured manner; the Palna Creche Scheme, Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana with ownership titles for women, and so on. The allocation towards Nirbhaya funds is also increasing, with ₹3,300 crores allocated in the last five years. The funds are primarily allocated for enhancing women’s safety through investing in infrastructure and institutional support. The schemes and programmes under the Nirbhaya Fund are implemented through different ministries and are demand-driven. However, underutilisation of these funds is a major challenge. The Standing Committee on Women and Child Development highlights the slow pace and underutilisation of Nirbhaya funds. As of July 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has received ₹4,355.08 crores under various Nirbhaya funds schemes.
Figure 1: Nirbhaya Fund Allocation till July 2025 to the Ministry of Home Affairs
Source: Created by the Author using data from the Sansad Website
The recent study conducted by the Centre for Public Policy Research in five states- Kerala, Telangana, Goa, Rajasthan, and Jharkhand- highlighted the huge deficit of cyber forensic facilities and labs for speedy investigation, considering the timeliness factor of the crime and impact on women affected by cyber crimes. Crimes such as deepfakes, non-consensual image sharing, and financial sextortion are on the rise, and current institutional support mechanisms vary from state to state. The allocation so far is only ₹250 crores (Refer Figure 1). The Safe City projects, which constitute a significant part of the allocation at ₹2,919 crores, are implemented only in eight major cities of India. Hence, the geographical distribution of funds is limited.
Figure 2: Nirbhaya Fund Allocation till July 2025 to the Ministry of Women and Child Development
Source: Created by the Author using data from the Sansad Website
As Figure 2 suggests, the Ministry allocates the maximum funds to safety infrastructure in various states through OSCs, working women’s hostels, etc. As per the Sakhi Dashboard, 876 OSCs are operational. Studies show the difficulty of accessing the OSC services due to limited geographic expansion. Other key challenges faced by OSCs include delayed staff remuneration, inaccessible infrastructure, and a lack of periodic training and awareness.
Figure 3: Nirbhaya Fund Allocation to Other Ministries
Source: Created by the Author using data from the Sansad Website
The Department of Justice gets the largest allocation among other ministries to set up fast-track courts. Another significant portion is allocated to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for the installation of CCTV, empowering elected women representatives of panchayats, and sensitising men. The NCRB Crimes Report 2023 shows a charge-sheeting rate of 77 per cent and a pendency of 28.7 percent in cases of crimes against women. The conviction rate is only 24.3 per cent. The above data throws light on the effectiveness of fast-track courts in addressing VAWG crimes.
All the above figures clearly show that budget allocations for Nirbhaya funds are mostly focused on infrastructure and institutional support. The absence of outcome-based assessment of funds utilised under various schemes, along with the lack of gender-disaggregated data, affects the effective allocation. The pre-budget preparations must incorporate an outcome-based budgeting framework for all ministries contributing to the gender budget statement. The framework should be tied to the SDG Goal 5 targets with clear qualitative and quantitative outputs and result-oriented impact evaluation.
What must the Union Budget 2026-27 allocate for?
Considering the alarming number of cybercrime cases reported, the Union Budget 2026-27 must have better allocation under Nirbhaya Funds to strengthen state capacity in tackling these cases by improving institutional capacity. MHA should allocate resources for cyber forensic labs as well as for training personnel to effectively investigate cyber crimes. Digital Suraksha Fund may be introduced under the Sambal component of Mission Shakti for dedicated efforts to address cybercrimes against women and children, especially in the context of AI-driven cyber threats.
Two, the fund allocation to the One Stop Centre scheme must be increased to expand services to taluks and panchayats, either by recruiting personnel similar to ASHA workers or by establishing sub-centres at the block/taluk level for accessibility. Recruitment of a local cadre of women from the community as “Nirbhaya Saathis” or by training SHG leaders (Lakhpati Didi) shall improve case reporting from vulnerable communities who currently face language and other access barriers to reach out to OSCs at the district level.
Third, safe city allocations must be revisited, with greater consideration given to Tier 2 cities. Better infrastructure, such as streetlights, panic buttons, and CCTV surveillance at busy transit points, can support women’s mobility. Women’s safety has an economic multiplier effect. Harassment faced by women on the move is a crucial factor determining women’s labour force participation.
Fourth, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) must allocate funds to develop dedicated cells in community and taluk hospitals to support women facing violence. As women are more likely to reach out to health facilities, identification of specific needs of women facing violence and providing psychological and physiological support must be provided through special cells in the hospitals.
Fifth, a dedicated fund for the training of judicial officers must be allocated to the Department of Justice and the State Police through MHA. Victim-blaming narratives have affected the charge-sheeting as well as conviction rates. Better evidence collection and empathetic, survivor-centric attitudes must be inculcated among them to improve justice delivery and enhance public trust in the system.
The Union Budget 2026-27 should not just be an exercise in fund allocation but a blueprint for accountability. By shifting from ‘outlays’ to ‘outcomes,’ India can ensure that ‘Nari Shakti’ is not just a slogan but a lived reality for every woman in the country.
Anu Maria Francis, Senior Associate, Research & Projects, at the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR), Kochi, Kerala, India.
Views expressed by the authors are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR).
Anu Maria Francis is an Associate, Research at Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR). She completed her graduation in Law from National University of Advanced Legal Studies, Kochi. She has worked as UPSC exam trainer and mentor with many coaching institutions in Kerala. She has also interned with a couple of organisations like Kerala State Information Commission, ACTIONAID India, Ceat Tyres Ltd, Biocon Pharma Ltd, Khaitan and Co Law Firm etc. Her academic interests pertain to legal and governance issues and education. She also has experience in handling business ventures.
