Dated:

To:
Shri Pranab Mukherjee,
Hon'ble Finance Minister
Government of ndia
!e" Delhi # $$%%%$

Sub: &ud'et Memorandum from (omen)s *r'anisations
Dear Shri Pranab Mukherjee,
We, the undersigned national womens organizations, representing a large section of
women of this country, especially those from underprivileged and marginalized sections
of society, would like to place before you some key concerns that need to be addressed in
the annual budget.
We would, firstly, like to put on record our deep concern about the growing disparities in
our country and the fact that current development policies are leading to further
marginalization of women. It is well-known that the burden of these disparities is also
gendered and women are increasingly amongst the most poor and asset-less amongst
every social community and group. In view of this we urge that, at the time of the
framing of the forthcoming annual budget, care is taken to ensure equitable allocation of
resources so as reverse this growing trend, and to strengthen efforts to achieve equality.
aking resources available to women, who form a significant section amongst the
marginalized and vulnerable, will contribute to more equitable growth. ! gender friendly
society is necessary to achieve social advance and deepen democracy.
In view of this we urge you to"
#ake effective policy measures to control price-rise, including an immediate ban
on the forward trading of all essential commodities, especially foodgrains, pulses,
sugar, etc., a curb on speculative manipulation of imports and e$ports, urgent and
stringent de-hoarding measures, a reintroduction of an effective %ssential
&ommodities !ct, and above all, a reversal of the disastrous policy of
deregulation of petrol pricing, which has led to cascading effect on prices of
goods
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%nsure universal coverage under the proposed 'ational (ood )ecurity !ct with
sufficient allocation to provide *+ kgs. of grains at not more than ,s -.- per kg per
nuclear family through the /0). 0irect cash transfers should not replace the
distribution of food and other essential commodities. #he allocation for the food
subsidy must be adequate to address this basic need of the people of this country.
/rovide at least -11 days per household under the ahatma 2andhi 'ational
,ural %mployment 2uarantee !ct3 revise the schedule of rates to fi$ realistic,
gender-sensitive work norms3 pay no less than the statutory minimum wages set
by the )tates with full price inde$ing. %nact an effective 4rban %mployment
2uarantee !ct
!llocate 56 of 20/ for a universal and affordable 7ealth )ervice or introduce a
'ational 4rban 7ealth ission after incorporating lessons learnt from the
e$perience of the ',7. )trengthen rural health care infrastructure with
adequate budget allocations for /rimary 7ealth &entres. Withdraw all forms of
user fees in the public health system and provide essential drugs and diagnostics
free of cost in all /7&s. 8ring the entire essential drug list under price control.
%nhance the allocation for training of nurses.
!llocate 56 of 20/ for %ducation and ensure implementation of the ,#% !ct.
!llocate resources for creation of more 9obs for women protective schemes for
unorganized sector women workers, migrant workers, etc. %$pand the provisions
of the 4norganised Workers )ocial )ecurity !ct -11: to all categories of
unorganized sector women and remove the 8/; condition. ,ecognize women
working in the I&0) <!nganwadi=, 'ational ,ural 7ealth ission <!)7!= and
id-0ay eal )chemes as employees and ensure minimum wages to all along
with regularization of working conditions.
Increase resources for universalisation and full coverage under the I&0), with
programmes for child care and protection of the girl child. 4niversalize and
increase maternity benefit allowance. 4niversalise the Indira 2andhi atritva
)ahyog >o9na, which currently provides a conditional cash incentive of ,s ?,111
for pre-natal and post-natal care and e$tend it to reach all pregnant women in all
districts, irrespective of 8/; category
Increase allocations for food production, strengthen procurement, storage and
distribution mechanisms in the agricultural sector and make a special budgetary
provision for women farmers.
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%nhance gender specific resource allocation for tribal, dalit, and minority women,
and ensure that funds under these heads are not diverted.
#he coverage of the )72 bank linkage programme should be e$panded and direct
credit by banks to )72s should be part of the priority sector. Interest subsidies on
bank lending to )72s should be increased through higher budgetary allocations
for )72s so that their repayment rate does not e$ceed ?6 per annum. Women
from vulnerable social groups like dalits, tribals and minorities should receive
credit at interest rates that do not e$ceed -6 per annum.
%nsure adequate resources for implementation of laws relating to women and
children.
Increase budgetary support for schemes to assist women-headed households,
single women of different categories, senior citizens, victims of violence, and
differently abled women and recognize women from economically motivated
suicide affected households <peasants, handloom workers, etc= as a special
category
%nsure the implementation of *16 allocations for women with proper gender
budgeting in all ministries and departments and data systems that reflect numbers
and actual allocations for women beneficiaries.
#ake effective measures to unearth and recover huge accumulation of black
money in the economy, including unaccounted money in ta$ havens abroad and
use it for strengthening social security programmes.
)ir, the undersigned women organizations urge you to take these aspects into
consideration during the formulation of the 4nion 8udget -1@--@* and ensure that it
adequately reflects the concerns of women.
With thanks, and in anticipation
Aimal #horat s.)udha )undararaman s.!nnie ,a9a ary Bohn
+,DM,M- +,D(,- +!F(- +.(DS-
0r. ohini 2iri 0r.Byotsna &hatter9ee !zra !bidi
+G*S- + /(P - + M(F-
3
)heela Cakde ;eila /assah
+,(. - +0(.,-
8!&C2,D4'0 'D#% D' 8402%# %D,!'04 )48I##%0 8>
WD%') D,2!'I)!#ID')
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Women are a part of society and all aspects of economic and social development leave
their imprint on their lives. Dur 8udget 0emands are an outcome of the following issues
and developments"
/rice ,ise and 0eclining (ood )ecurity
#he escalation in the prices of essential commodities, especially food items, over the past
year by more than @16 has drastically affected home budgets, and women have been the
worst affected. #he proposed (ood )ecurity 8ill should take into account the reality of
malnutrition and anemia amongst women and children. Dver the last several years we
have followed debates on contested claims on definitions of poverty and the poverty line
with deep concern. We believe that these are attempts to deflect attention from the urgent
need to universalize the /0) and to delink entitlements such as food from the /lanning
&ommissionEs debatable poverty estimates, or the outcomes of the equally flawed )ocio
%conomic &aste &ensus <)%&&=, -1@@. #he /0) must include commodities like pulses,
sugar, coarse grains, cooking oil and kerosene at subsidized rates3 and provide at least *+
kilograms of food grain at ,s - per kg to each nuclear family. &ash transfers should not
be allowed to replace the mandated supply of low-priced food grains in the /0).
!griculture and ,ural 0evelopment
#he continuing crisis in agriculture has disturbing social implications, especially in rural
India where the ma9ority of women still reside.
#he contraction in land under food crops, despite reports of bumper harvests is a ma9or
concern. #here is an urgent need to improve the infra-structure, including improvement in
roads, power, land and soil improvement, e$tension services, and pay heed to the needs
of dry-land agriculture and cultivation of crops such as millets, oilseeds and pulses,
which are crucial for food security.
)tate allocation for agriculture and rural development must address the urgent need for
irrigation, particularly in rain fed areas, where tribals and other marginalized sections
live. !ttention must be paid to increasing employment opportunities both in agriculture
as well as rural non-farm employment, especially for women.
#here is an urgent need to address the skewed landholding pattern and the lack of
entitlements to women. We are disturbed that the 2overnment of India has completely
abandoned the agenda of land reforms and related measures
#here is need to ensure that women cultivators can access institutional credit at nominal
interest not e$ceeding ?6 and debt relief without insistence on land titles and other
collateral in their name. ,elief packages for suicide ravaged families should recognize
widows in this category as farmers and address the problems faced by them.
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#here is a need for special focus on these areas where tribals generally live, since these
have reported the worst indicators by any indices
#he support for sustainable agriculture programmes under the 'ational ,ural ;ivelihood
)cheme and the ahila Cisan )ashaktikaran programme should be delinked from
microfinance operations and the formation of )72s. Women farmers who do not wish to
be part of )72s must also be able to benefit from the support to be given under these
programmes. #he interest subsidy under these programmes should be increased so that
the repayment rate of women borrowers is not more than ? per cent.
%mployment 2uarantee
It is shocking that in over @@ months of this fiscal year only +-6 of the previous years
budget allocation has been utilized under the 2',%2!. #hus, despite the growing
need for remunerative work, 2',%2! has provided work of only *F days per
household. #his has happened at a time when material costs for implementation of the
2',%2! have increased substantially due to inflation and wages too have gone up.
#here are several issues with regard to faulty implementation. !llocations do not reach
the districts in time, delaying payment of the centrally-determined wage in large parts of
the country and work is often held up. While these must be addressed, statutory minimum
wages must be paid in accordance with the inimum Wages !ct @G?:. #hese must be
brought in line with the price level with a revision in the )chedule of ,ates so that they
are realistic and gender-sensitive, as was suggested by a &ommittee set up by the o,0
in -11:, whose recommendations, unfortunately, have been ignored. %fficient monitoring
of 2',%2) is needed to check misuse and non-utilisation of funds. #here is also an
urgent need to put in place an 4rban %mployment 2uarantee !ct.
Women Workers
#here is an urgent need to address unemployment of women on a priority basis. !s per
the '))D data, -+6 of women are workers but deeper analysis shows that only @+6
women in India find paid work. Df those working, almost G56 are in the unorganised
sector, with large numbers working in the home based and domestic work segments. #hey
are not recognised as employees and are denied minimum wages, maternity benefits,
child care facilities etc. #here is growing unemployment among women and there is
urgent need to address the employment needs of rural women, including provision for
diversification of 9obs. In the urban sector too they are concentrated in low paid sectors
with insecure conditions of work. #his continued economic dependence remains an
obstacle to advance womens rights and improve their condition.
#here is need to register women workers in the unorganized sector, especially in the
home-based, and domestic work segments and to ensure that schemes under the
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provisions of the 4norganised Workers )ocial )ecurity !ct -11:, are available to all
women and not confined to those falling in the category of 8/; workers.
Women working in 2overnment schemes like I&0), ',7, idday eals in )chools,
etc are still paid an honorarium or have to depend on user fees. igrant workers should
be recognised as a special category and their need to access to /0), health, education and
child care facilities etc.at destination be provided for.
#he lack of public child-care facilities for all working women including from the
unorganised sector remains unaddressed. aternity benefits should be increased and
should not be linked to the - child norm or to 8/; conditions, or to the age of the mother.
7ealth
!s per the 'ational 7ealth /rofile <-11G=, 5G.+6 of children in the age group 5-+G
months, ++.+*6 of ever married women and +F.: + of pregnant women in the @+- ?G age
group, are anaemic. #he @@
th
(ive >ear /lan fell short of its goals in the reduction of
maternal and infant mortality given that the , is -@- as against the goal of @11 per
lakh live births, and the I, is still ?F as against the ob9ective of -: per @111 live births.
!s compared to a promised public health e$penditure of ,s. @,F+,111 crores for the
',7, the actual e$penditure was only about ,s. ++,111 crores in -1@1. !s against the
very modest target of reaching *6 of the 20/, the actual achievement was only @6 only
in the last fiscal year.
While improvement in public health is based on elimination of poverty and food security,
there is need to provide safe drinking water and sanitation facilities universally,
especially in rural areas and urban slums on a priority basis. &ost-recovery pricing and
privatization of water supply makes already scarce resources even less affordable to the
poor and should not be allowed.
&hild &are
!lmost one in two children under the age of five is malnourished. #he I&0) presently
covers less than half of the @5 crore children below si$ years in the country. It should be
e$tended to ensure effective health care delivery to children under si$ and their mothers3
the centres must be set up particularly in areas where )&. )# populations are
concentrated. #he quality of food served in I&0) centres and under the mid day meal
scheme needs to be improved considerably.
In most states there is no provision of child care under the 2',%2!. !s more and
more workers are today located in the informal sector of the economy, and many are
migrants, the child care needs of these children from the vulnerable sections need to be
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addressed through specific planning and resource allocation. #here is also a growing need
for providing shelter to children who are without adult protection.
%ducation
India is in the @?:
th
position globally on the inde$ of adult literacy. #o overcome this
2overnment should make available free, universal and equitable quality education. #o
reduce drop out rate of girls, special funds should be earmarked to ensure separate and
functional toilets with water provisions in all schools and for building compound walls in
schools to upgrade security. /rimary schools need to be set up within @ km radius of all
habitations, especially in rural areas, and proper secondary schools within * km of all
habitations. #here should be more hostels and scholarship schemes for girls both in
secondary schools, and for children of migrant workers and more allocation for
vocational, 9ob oriented training.
#ribal and 0alit Women
#here is a gross violation of the &onstitutional norm that allocations for )&s and )#s be
in accordance with their share in population. 2uidelines with regard to earmarking of
)&)/ <@56 of /lan !llocations for )&s= and #)/ <:6 of /lan !llocations for )#s= have
not been followed. /roportional allocation for )&s, )#s and minorities must be made,
with a well-defined gender component.
#he special package of social security and nutritional support of for tribal and dalit
women in #)/ and )&)&/ should include special support for girl child in these
communities and residential schools for them. )chemes for literacy and enhancement of
number of scholarships for girl children must be initiated.
#he latest '))D data shows that tribal women are migrating from rural to urban areas in
great numbers. #hese women are working as contract labourers in brick kilns,
construction and mining operations. ! registration of such workers should be done and
migrants should receive basic social security benefits. #he budget should allocate money
for their housing, health and educational needs.
)pecial packages should be provided for rehabilitation of women displaced during course
of land acquisition or diversion of forest lands.
2ram )abhas need to be provided with technical and financial support for the effective
implementation of the (orest ,ights !ct, especially in states where re9ection rates are
high and where the provision of 9oint pattas is not being implemented effectively. ! forest
produce price commission should be set up as recommended by the B/& on the (orest
,ights !ct. #he women forest produce collectors should be protected by providing a
minimum support price for all minor forest produce. !llocations should be made for
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technical support to assist women to process minor forest produce at the local level, and
market access should be facilitated by the state to ensure that women collectors are not
e$ploited by middle men.
inority Women
!lthough, several schemes have been launched for development of minorities since -115-
1F, the financial and physical achievement and utilization of several schemes such as the
inority )cholarship )cheme has been very poor. !dequate outlay must be provided for
implementation of the )achar &ommittee recommendations. ! special sub plan with
focus on womens health and education should be formulated.
)ingle Women, Women-headed 7ouseholds
#he coverage of single women and widows and women headed households needs to be
enhanced under all beneficiary schemes, and in particular pension schemes, shelters for
women in distress, provision of hostels for working women with or without children.
shelters for senior citizens, need to be provided support to e$pand and improve quality of
services. #he allocation for social welfare schemes must be increased for beneficiaries as
well as for administrative e$penses. #he provision regarding widows with sons losing
their eligibility for receiving the widow pension should be removed. )pecial allocation
for addressing the needs of senior citizens needs to be made.
Women Aictims of Aiolence
With growing incidents of violence against women, there is need for an additional
focus on ensuring support and shelter for women victims of violence. #hese
include"
,ecognition of women victims of violence as a category in all social security
schemes.
!dequate allocations to address the safety and security of women employed in the
organised and unorganised sectors
! single window which provides holistic package of services for women and girls
in distress.
!llocations for shelter homes, help lines, legal aid, counselling and referral
services
)pecial Womens 0esks in all police stations
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,ehabilitation, medical aid and contingency <all of which must be accessible at
the block level=.
Increased outlays for effective implementation of the /rotection of Women from
0omestic Aiolence !ct </W0A!=, -11+
/rioritise allocations towards implementation of a 'ational #ask (orce in &onflict
Hones.
0ifferently !bled Women
#his is one of the most invisible and neglected groups of women whose access to
nutrition, health, education and employment are almost non-e$istent. #hey are left out of
the limited government concessions and reservation available to disabled persons,
especially if they belong to other marginal groups like schedules tribes and scheduled
castes. #he concerns of disabled women as a distinct group should be mainstreamed in all
programmes and schemes in general, and special efforts should be made to incorporate
their concerns in all schemes for women and children. 8eing a group suffering from
multiple oppressions, efforts should be made to ensure that the concerns of differently
abled women are taken into account in both the disability sector and women
empowerment initiatives.
)elf 7elp 2roups
While the )72 bank linkage programme should be e$panded and included as part of the
priority sector, the priority sector tag should be removed from credit that is given by
banks to microfinance institutions. #he government should ensure that all women get
credit at low interest . #his will ensure that women borrowers are not forced into the
hands of the (Is. !t the same time a law should be enacted and a regulatory framework
should be put in place to curtail the e$ploitation by and profits of the (Is. )uch a
framework should put a stop to the coercive, and e$ploitative lending practices of the
(Is. #he government should play a supportive role for )72s.
)trengthen Institutions and !gencies set up to !dvance Womens ,ights
#he 'ational &ommission for Women must receive adequate funds for independent and
efficient functioning. 8udgetary allocation must be made at the central level to ensure
that the institutional mechanisms for the proper implementation of the /rotection of
Women from 0omestic Aiolence !ct are set up. ;egislations such as the /re-conception
and /re-natal 0iagnostic #echniques </&/'0#= !ct, @GG? also need to be prioritised in
terms of 4nion government outlays. )imilar efforts should be made to implement other
protective legislations.
2ender 8udgeting
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It should be ensured that ministries prepare a public e$penditure profile from a gender
perspective. #he target of *16 gender allocations under all ministries be implemented. !
gender audit and gender outcome appraisal of all ministries and departments at the central
and state levels should be conducted to ensure that resource allocations made under
gender budgeting do not remain unspent, monitoring and supervision of e$penditure and
outlay with greater transparency and accountability is done at all levels, specific gender-
based disadvantages are identified across sectors and accordingly plans and schemes are
formulated to ensure that women from marginalised sections are given priority in all
developmental interventions. #he 2ender 8udgeting methodology adopted by the 4nion
and the )tate governments should be reviewed forthwith.
In order to ensure the above, 2overnment of India needs to make available )e$-
disaggregated data at all levels to enable assessment of the e$penditure and outcomes in
gender terms.
#here should be an increase in e$penditure on child related schemes and children may be
treated as a separate category and not clubbed together with women for the purpose of
gender budgeting. #he clubbing of e$penditure on women with that on children, apart
from being steeped in an approach that is both patriarchal and discriminatory in nature,
gives misleading statistics with regard to the focus on gender in allocations. #hese figures
may be provided under a separate head, or indicated separately.
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