Budget 2026: One girls' hostel in every district
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a plan to set up one girls' hostel in every district to help more women pursue STEM education, along with new SHE Marts for women entrepreneurs.
But the announcement has raised concerns about uneven existing provision: as of December 2025 there were 560 Sakhi Niwas, with Kerala having 124 and Uttar Pradesh 8, and Manipur receiving the highest allocation—about ₹10.9 crore.
But there are already 560 Sakhi Niwas
Access to safe, affordable hostels can make or break opportunities for young women, especially in crowded states.
As of December 2025, there are 560 government-backed hostels across India—but the numbers are all over the place: Kerala has 124, while Uttar Pradesh (with a much bigger population) only has eight.
Funding is uneven too; Manipur received the highest allocation—about ₹10.9 crore—even though UP needs more facilities.
With a reported ₹5,000 crore provision in this year's budget, many are hoping for fairer and faster progress so that every woman actually gets a shot at higher education and work.