Maharashtra all set to form a gender budget cell

Mumbai: In a first, the Maharashtra government is all set to form a gender budget cell under the finance and planning department so as to focus on the expenditure for women and children. The cell will ensure that the allocated funds are spent for the welfare of women and children and there are no delays.

Finance minister, Mr Sudhir Mungantiwar has directed his department to form the cell by November 15, 2017.

“Many departments implement various schemes for women and children. But it is necessary to assess how it benefits them. It is necessary to check whether it has really made a positive impact in the lives of the women and children,” he said. The minister said the gender budget should impart social security to women and children.

“The idea of making them self reliant through livelihood should be taken further. We should consider how the funds are utilized in better manner, and not just the amount of funds allotted,” he said. The minister also instructed the department to study gender budget cells formed in the other states, their functioning and to submit a report.

A UNICEF team made a presentation on gender budgeting and public finance management for women and children recently to the state. After a detailed study, a report on gender budgeting would be presented to the government next month. Also, in the last few years, many MLAs have consistently been demanding a separate gender budget to ensure better implementation of schemes meant for women. The finance minister has agreed to the demand.