The Himachal Pradesh State Transformation Cell of the Planning Department, in collaboration with GIZ India and NITI Aayog, organised a one-day workshop titled ‘Niti Se Pariniti’ in Shimla on Thursday. The initiative focused on enhancing the capacity of Nodal Officers to translate gender-related policy commitments into measurable budgetary actions, with the objective of promoting inclusive development and social equity across the State.
Focus on Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting
Addressing the participants, Advisor to the Planning Department Dr. Basu Sood highlighted that Gender Responsive Planning and Budgeting is a critical tool for effective and efficient utilisation of public resources. He stressed that meaningful outcomes require a fundamental shift in mindset, rather than mere administrative compliance.
Expert speakers from the Planning Department and GIZ India provided hands-on training on gender analysis, data-driven decision-making and monitoring frameworks. The sessions aimed to equip departments with practical tools to integrate gender perspectives into existing schemes and programmes.
Action-Oriented Outcomes Emphasised
The workshop witnessed participation from Heads of Departments and Nodal Officers from various State departments. Discussions during the concluding session focused on addressing practical implementation challenges in gender-responsive budgeting.
To ensure concrete follow-up, each department was assigned the task of identifying at least one actionable step to improve gender outcome reporting. The collaborative initiative is expected to strengthen inter-departmental coordination and contribute to more accountable, transparent and outcome-oriented public expenditure in Himachal Pradesh.
