The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has been allocated a budget of Rs 26,889.69 crore in the Union Budget for 2025, reflecting a notable increase from last year’s allocation of Rs 23,182.98 crore.
A key focus of this budget is the Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 programs, which have been allocated Rs 21,960 crore to address malnutrition and enhance early childhood care, up from Rs 20,070.90 crore last year.
These programs, including the Scheme for Adolescent Girls, have been revamped into three core pillars: nutrition support for children and adolescent girls, early childhood care and education, and infrastructure development for Anganwadis.
During her budget speech, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized that these initiatives provide crucial nutritional support to over 8 crore children, 1 crore pregnant and lactating women, and 20 lakh adolescent girls, particularly in aspirational districts and the Northeast. She also announced that the cost norms for these support programs would be increased.
Further, Rs 120 crore has been earmarked for the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) to drive socio-economic development for 75 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, while Rs 75 crore has been allocated to the Dharti Aba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, aimed at tribal welfare.
In terms of women’s empowerment, Mission Shakti has received Rs 3,150 crore, with significant funding for its two key components: Sambal and Samarthya. The Sambal scheme, which supports initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, One Stop Centres, Women’s Helpline, and Mahila Police Volunteers, has been allocated Rs 629 crore.
Meanwhile, the Samarthya scheme, which includes programs such as Swadhar Greh for distressed women and the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), has been granted Rs 2,521 crore.
The National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development (NIPCCD), a key body for research and training in child welfare, has been allocated Rs 90 crore, marking a slight increase from last year’s Rs 79.50 crore.
Additionally, the Union Budget 2025 includes Rs 30 crore for other schemes under the Nirbhaya Fund, with the National Commission for Women (NCW) and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) receiving allocations of Rs 28 crore and Rs 25 crore, respectively, to support their operations.