AP Renews Commitment to Gender Equity with Gender Budget
The government highlights 100 per cent women-centric schemes across welfare, education, health, housing, transport and safety.
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has reinforced its commitment to gender equity with the Gender Budget Statement 2026–27, allocating a massive Rs.90,859.54 crore towards schemes benefiting women and girls.
Of this, Rs.19,496.47 crore falls under Part-A schemes — exclusively for women and girls — while Rs.71,363.07 crore is earmarked under Part-B schemes, where 30 to 99 per cent of the allocations would benefit women.
The government highlights 100 per cent women-centric schemes across welfare, education, health, housing, transport and safety. Flagship initiatives include Thalliki Vandanam, providing Rs.15,000 per child (Class I to Intermediate), which is routed to mothers across BC, SC, ST, EWS and minority communities, and the subsidy on domestic LPG (Deepam-2) offering three free cylinders annually to eligible women.
Mobility is strengthened by the Stree Shakti Scheme, which provides free bus travel for women. In health, 42,752 ASHA workers would receive a monthly honorarium of Rs.10,000, along with gratuity benefits. Maternal welfare is bolstered through the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, extending Rs.5,000 for the first child and Rs.6,000 for the second girl child.
Women’s safety receives focused attention with the setting up of women help desks in police stations, anti-human trafficking units, cyber crime prevention against women and children (CCPWC), 164 Shakthi teams, upgraded Mahila police stations, and 26 functional one-stop centres, with additional centres sanctioned.
Housing support under PMAY (urban and grameen) and state-backed NTR Housing schemes prioritise women beneficiaries, while Mission Shakti components — including Shakti Sadan shelters, Sakhi Niwas working women’s hostels, Women’s Helpline (181) and Nari Adalats — strengthen protection and rehabilitation frameworks.
Across sectors, the budget integrates women’s participation in agriculture, education, health and social security. Major such schemes include Krishionnati Yojana, RKVY and PMFBY in agriculture; Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI schools and Dokka Seethamma mid-day meals in education; 108 ambulance services and RCH programmes in health; and NTR Bharosa pensions across departments. Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0, Bala Sanjeevani, ICDS and Mission Vatsalya strengthen nutrition and child protection systems.
Minister for women and child welfare, Gummidi Sandhya Rani, said the gender budget reflects a structured and institutional push to make women equal stakeholders in development, combining welfare, safety, livelihood support and infrastructure to advance their inclusive growth.
