Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB) is a form of budgeting that contributes to the advancement of gender equality and the fulfillment of women’s rights. It entails identifying and reflecting needed interventions to address gender gaps in sector and local government policies, plans and budgets. GRB also aims to analyze the gender-differentiated impact of revenue-raising policies and the allocation of domestic resources and Official Development Assistance.

GRB initiatives seek to create enabling policy frameworks, build capacity and strengthen monitoring mechanisms to support accountability to women. As such, it is a process that entails incorporating a gender perspective at various stages—planning/ policy/ programmes formulation, assessment of needs of target groups, allocation of resources, implementation, impact assessment and if required, reprioritization of resources.

Given that the women represent 48 percent of the total population in the country and that owning to various factors, they face disparities in access to and control over services and resources, the government, in an important initiative has mandated setting up of Gender Budgeting Cells (GBCs) in all Ministries/Departments.

The move also stems from the recognition that the bulk of public expenditure and policy concerns are in so called “gender neutral” sectors– power, defence, petroleum, transport, etc, whereas, in actual terms, there is no sector which can be considered to be completely “gender neutral”.

What is important about gender budgeting in the realization that it is not an accounting exercise. Gender Responsive Budget and Gender mainstreaming are outcomes of Gender Budgeting. Given this, there was an allocation of Rs. 28,737 cr. for benefit of women estimated from 24 demand for grants in 18 Ministries and Departments. The process has been extended to all levels of governance—Centre, State, District, local governance and also to Public Sector units and Autonomous Bodies. Gender Auditing has also been made mandatory.

While it is too early to comment on the performance of the initiative, it is indeed a welcome step and if implemented well, it can address some of the important issues pertaining to women specifically with regard to access to resources. However, for that to happen, it is important to ensure that there are adequate structures and mechanisms to ensure that there is space for participation of women in budgetary exercise, be it from SHGs or other platforms. Without this, plans would continue to be made in isolation from the reality. For how long can we afford it?

How can gender budgeting be made effective?

What are cities made of- Buildings? Architecture? Town and Country Planning Acts?

One could argue that the main ingredient that goes into making a city is aspiration. People come to live and work in cities in aspiration for better lives and more opportunities to improve their condition.

Unfortunately, this dimension is often overlooked by planners and policy makers. Urban renewal is almost like a ‘safai abhiyaan’, a process of cleansing, devoid of any soul.

India has about 300 million people living in the cities. This is only likely to grow. At present, there is an estimated shortage of around 2.6 crore housing units, 98% of which is for economically weaker and low-income groups. How can the cities create equitable conditions of living and working for the people who live there and contribute to its development?

The present government’s flagship program Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission wants to make India ‘slum free in five years’. It is important to note the two sub missions of the program- 1) Sub-Mission for Basic Services to the Urban Poor that will develop slums through projects for providing shelter, basic services and civic amenities and 2) Sub-Mission for Urban Infrastructure and Governance: that will develop infrastructure projects relating to water supply and sanitation, sewerage, solid waste management, road network, urban transport and redevelopment of old city areas with a view to upgrading infrastructure therein.

Is this another exercise of copy paste from thousands of documents produced by the successive governments? How does the great leap from paper to the actual world of implementation happen? Are the governance structures ready for the ambitious program? And when implemented, how do we ensure that it is not yet another exercise of building blocks? Of unusable toilets; of unventilated houses ; of houses located so far from the city hub that it is difficult to find employment? Of poorly connected habitations without educational and medical facilities?

Alternatively, if we define urban renewal as the way people relate to their homes and workplace- as their concerns for security, need for open space, convenience of transport and access to safer forms of energy, how does this fit into the program design?

For the program to reflect the aspirations, it has to connect with the people. There are ways to do that-undertake micro-planning exercises, do social mappings and appraisals and so on. The need however is to engage and interact with the people. It has its peril- delays, demands, politicizations, but unless the city governance engages proactively, the thousands of crores allocated for the program would be wasted.

Can India be ‘slum free’ in five years’?

- Ipsita Basu

The Indian finance minister, while presenting the union Budget of 2009-10, announced the Indira Gandhi National Disability Pension Scheme that would provide pension to people with severe disabilities. In addition, Tax deduction on medical treatment and maintenance of disabled has been increased from INR 75,000 to INR 100,000.

This would complement the 11th five year plan (2007-12) that addresses disability as a cross cutting issue and seeks every ministry to have a plan for disability and to allocate at least three percent of the budget towards the same.

In this context, it is important to examine how we perceive disability. Disability is not just a welfare issue. In addition to being a human rights issue, it is a cross cutting development and human resource issue. Such a perspective can steer policies that can create capacities to enable Persons with Disabilities (PWD) lead a meaningful and contributing life.

There are various reasons for viewing disability as a development issue. For one- it has an inextricable link with poverty. DFID notes that “disability is both a cause and consequence of poverty”. Indeed, being poor increases the likelihood of being born with impairment, mainly due to poor ante-natal and post-natal medical care and attention. The poor are also more vulnerable to become impaired and then disabled. Limited access to basic health care, combined with nutritional deficiencies, poor sanitation,
and an increased risk of infection through exposure to communicable diseases, increases the odds on being disabled.

All of these factors are preventable or treatable. But it requires a development perspective to intervene. That gives the space to address disability issues from the stage of conception, through and pre natal care, delivery and post natal care. This falls under the aegis of ICDS program, but is critical to control impairment and disability. This link needs to be understood and addressed.

At the same time, viewing disability as a development issue also allows to tap the young and unexplored human resource. Let us see what the numbers tell us. Approximately 51 percent of India’s population of 1.1 billion is under 25 years. It is estimated that about 35 percent of the people with disabilities are in the 10-29 years age group, which is a significant number. Again, approximately 60 percent of people with disabilities can function without any assistive devices and a significant proportion can function with some device. Only 13 percent cannot function even with supporting aids and appliances.

Given this, treating all persons with disability as non-contributing members of the society dependent on welfare measures, is not only undermining their capacity, but also depriving society of their potential.
Instead policies should aim at enhancing their opportunities –focus on education and employability so that they participate in the process of development, as equal partners.

Does the budget reflect an understanding of disability as a developmental issue?

- Ipsita Basu