By February 2025, only around 70% of the Budget Estimate had been utilised, exposing execution gaps under Mission Shakti and Mission Vatsalya. Over five years, nearly 200 lakh beneficiaries were trained, but women’s participation rose only from 7.2% to 15%. Parallel schemes, limited convergence and weak last-mile awareness continue to blunt impact. As Union Budget 2026 nears, the real question is whether policy intent can finally translate into measurable change on the ground. Read more here.