Budget 2020-21: Budget allocations for rural economy and rural women
Relevance: Prelims/Mains: G.S paper I: Society and social issues: Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and; developmental issues G.S paper III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.• Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.• Government Budgeting. & Sociology: Challenges of Social Transformation: Poverty, deprivation and inequalities. Women Issues.
Introduction:
- Special focus accorded to the agricultural sector and initiatives to strengthen infrastructure with an emphasis on implementation with scale and speed have the potential to kick-start a virtuous cycle of investment, inclusive growth and employment.
• The budget has announced a wide spectrum of interventions through a robust 16-points action agenda, to revitalise the sector and empower farmers, especially rural women.
• The proposed 16 action points will help 1.5 million farmers especially rural women.
‘Caring Society’: Health Benefits to mother and child
- The Government announced setting up of a task force to recommend steps to lower maternal mortality rate, look into the the age of motherhood and measures for improvement in nutrition levels. The task force will submit its report within six months.
• Categorising women and children under the larger budgetary theme of “Caring Society”, the Finance Minister announced an allocation of Rs. 35,600 crore for nutrition-related programmes.
• The gross enrolment ration of girls across all levels of education is now higher than boys.
• At the elementary level, the enrolment level for girls is 94.32 per cent as against 89.29 per cent for boys, while at secondary level it is 81.32 per cent for girls as compared to 78 per cent for boys and at higher secondary level girls have achieved a level of 59.70 per cent as compared to 57.54 per cent for boys.
Budgetary allocation:
- A sum of Rs.28,600 crore has been set aside for programmes specific to women for the next fiscal in the Budget.
• A 14 per cent increase has been seen in the year’s Budget allocation as compared to previous year’s budget allocation in the amount allocated to the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare.
• The total amount allocated for the social services sector, which includes nutrition and social security and welfare, has been increased from Rs. 3891.71 crore in 2019-21.
• The Poshan Abhiyan, which aims to bring down stunting of children in the age group of 0-6 years from 38.4 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022, has been a key focus area in the ministry. The allocation for ‘One step Centre’ scheme saw a major boost.
The following programmes especially rural women and child development have been given a boost in this Budget
• Rashtriya Poshan Abhiyan
• ‘One-stop Centre’
• Matru Vandana Yojna
• Pregnant and lactating women
• Bal Suraksha Seva
• Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojna
• Mahila Shakti Kendra
• The announcements relating to the ‘Blue Economy’ especially fisheries will benefit rural women due to their significant participation in the sector.
Conclusion:
- Rural women are the key agents for achieving the transformational economic, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development.
• But limited access to credit, healthcare and education are among the many challenges they face, which are further aggravated by the global food and economic crises and climate change.
• Budget 2020-21 has initiated empowerment programmes for rural women that provide a foundation to nurture the inner strength and self-esteem for the rural women.
• With a strong determination, commitment and involvement of people and organisations with philanthropic motive and a rational outlook, this problem can be solved and hurdles can be overcome for promoting the empowerment of rural women.
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