India's Budget 2025-26: Analyzing Allocations for Women's Safety
A look at the Nirbhaya Fund, Mission Shakti, and other key initiatives.
Although there are several programs in the Indian government's 2025–2026 budget that are focused on women's protection, there isn't a specific sum set out for "police for women." Nonetheless, a number of programs and resources support this cause:
1. Nirbhaya Fund: In 2025–2026, this fund, which supports initiatives for women's protection, had a minor increase from INR 180 crore to INR 200 crore. It enables monitoring systems, crisis centers, and fast-track courts.
2. Umbrella Scheme for Safety of Women: With a total budget of INR 1179.72 crore from 2021–2022 to 2025–2026, this scheme focuses on a number of projects, including increasing the capacity of investigators and prosecutors in sexual assault cases, bolstering forensic labs, and developing the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) 2.0.
3. Mission Shakti: Sambal for safety and Samarthya for empowerment are the two verticals that make up this mission. While funding for Samarthya increased significantly, money for "Sambal," which addresses safety issues including One Stop Centers and Women Helplines, increased less, staying at INR 629 crore.
It's crucial to remember that these funds are a part of a broader framework that addresses women's safety and consists of strong legislation, efficient legal systems, and easily accessible support networks. The budget offers financial resources, but in order to truly impact women's lives, it must be used and implemented effectively.
