Clear Cut Magazine

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Support Clear Cut—the only magazine focused solely on social issues—to keep independent, data-driven journalism alive.

PANKHUDI, Anganwadis, and the NSE Social Stock Exchange: India Is Building a CSR Pipeline for Women. Will It Hold?

India is building a new CSR pipeline for women and children through the PANKHUDI platform, Anganwadi Centres, and the NSE Social Stock Exchange. However, its success will depend on strong accountability, transparent data, and measurable outcomes. Three recent moves in India’s CSR and social sector landscape signal a shift in how corporate money reaches women…

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Gender Budget 2026–2027: Fiscal Signals and Women’s Empowerment

India’s Gender Budget 2026–27 shows modest growth and improved reporting, but remains largely welfare-focused with limited impact on structural gender inequalities. A lack of outcome-based accountability, weak care economy reforms, and fiscal volatility continue to constrain meaningful progress toward gender equity. Persistent gender discrepancies in political representation, education, health, and labour markets coexist with India’s…

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Gender and Child Budgeting in Union Budget 2026–27: Progress with Persistent Gaps

The Union Budget 2026–27 significantly increases Gender and Child Budgeting, allocating around ₹5 lakh crore for women and ₹1.32 lakh crore for child welfare to strengthen nutrition, early childhood care, and social protection. However, concerns remain about effective fund utilization, monitoring, and implementation gaps that may limit real impact. Gender and child budgeting has emerged…

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Strengthening India’s Gender Budget: Setting the Agenda for 2026–27

As India gets ready for the Union Budget 2026–2027, consultations between ministries and agencies have started. Bringing the Gender Budget, an important component of the country’s budgeting process back into the spotlight. The Gender Budget Statement (GBS) is a standard component of fiscal planning now. It is more important than ever in promoting gender-responsive governance….

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