WOMEN POWER IN BUDGET MAKING

Showing greater contribution to Budget making exercise, women officers account for 41 per cent of senior level personnel involved in the process this year and are handling 52 per cent of the overall budget-related work of the government.
According to sources, out of 34 financial advisors in the rank of Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary attached with various central ministries and departments, 14 are women officers. These women officers handle 52 per cent of Budget related work of the government. Financial advisors in crucial ministries like finance, health and family welfare, HRD, youth, skill development and sports have contributed heavily to the pre-Budget exercise. Also officers from ministries of aviation, urban development, chemical and fertiliser, coal and mines, Post, DeITY, social justice, Department of Science and Industrial Research have participated in the exercise. These advisors are tasked with the primary responsibility of pre-budget exercise in various ministries. The Union Budget will be presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on February 1. The pre-budget consultation of finance ministry with various ministries and government departments had begun around mid-November.