Spending on women-related schemes up 18% in Budget 2017

The gender budget accounted for 5.2% of total government spending in Budget 2017-18

India’s gender budget – spending on women-related schemes and projects – rose 18% from Rs 96,331 crore ($14.4 billion) in 2016-17 (revised estimates) to Rs 113,326 crore ($17 billion) in 2017-18 in the union budget announced on February 1, 2017.

The gender budget accounted for 5.2% of total government spending, an increase of 0.4% from 4.8% in 2016-17 (revised estimates). It accounted for 4.5% of budget expenditure in 2016-17, IndiaSpend reported in March 2016 but went up to 4.8% after revised estimates