NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2026 on Sunday, marking a significant milestone as the first-ever Sunday budget presentation. Highlighting a 12-year trajectory of fiscal discipline and stability, the Minister stated that the government has preferred “reform over rhetoric,” lifting nearly 25 crore people out of multi-dimensional poverty in the last decade.
Key Highlights of Budget 2026:
- Transportation & Infrastructure: The government proposed seven new high-speed rail corridors to modernize travel. To enhance green cargo movement, new dedicated freight corridors connecting Dankuni to Surat and 20 new inland waterways will be operationalized over the next five years.
- Kerala and Southern Initiatives: Mineral-rich states including Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha will be supported in establishing dedicated “Rare-Earth Corridors.” Additionally, “Turtle Trails” will be developed along key nesting sites in Kerala and Karnataka to boost eco-tourism.
- Technology & Manufacturing: India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 was launched with an outlay of ₹40,000 crore. A ₹20,000 crore outlay was also proposed for Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technologies. For the space sector, a “National Fibre Scheme” was introduced to achieve self-sufficiency.
- Health & Education: The budget proposed three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda and the upgradation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar. To foster design and hospitality, a new National Institute of Design in East India and a National Institute of Hospitality were announced.
- Urban & Rural Development: The Minister outlined a “Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj” initiative for the Khadi sector and plans to develop infrastructure in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. Five university townships and new academic zones are also on the roadmap to strengthen educational infrastructure.
The budget reinforces the government’s push for a “Viksit Bharat” by scaling up manufacturing across seven strategic sectors and rejuvenating MSMEs to boost global competitiveness. (TV9)
For more details: Navamalayalam.com