Further Enhancing Women's Healthcare

The growing focus on women’s healthcare announced during the Union Budget 2025-26 is well aligned with International Women’s Day which falls on March 8 every year.

-  Dr Manbeena Chawla

An allocation of Rs 4.49 lakh crore has been reported for the welfare of women and girls in the gender budget statement of 2025-26, from the gross budgetary support allocation of Rs 3.27 lakh crore in 2024-25, according to a statement from the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

81.79 per cent of the Women and Child Development Ministry’s budget will go toward genderbased initiatives, underscoring the government’s focus on improving outcomes for women and children.

Another recent development by the government that marks its increased focus on women’s healthcare is the launch of GARBH-INi-DRISHTI by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). As one of South Asia's largest maternal and child health databases, GARBH-INiDRISHTI has been launched to empower researchers worldwide to conduct transformative research aimed at improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Its foundation lies in collaborative efforts across India's leading research institutions and hospitals, representing a powerful synergy of expertise.