Guwahati:
Assam’s Budget for 2026-27 is not limited to announcing new schemes or increasing allocations. Instead, it lays out a longer-term vision that seeks to expand the state’s economy through investments in infrastructure, industry, energy, healthcare and agriculture.
Presenting the Budget in the Assembly on Friday, Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah said the government was building on the groundwork laid over the past decade. He described the proposals as part of a wider effort to prepare Assam for the next phase of growth rather than focusing only on the current financial year.
The biggest financial commitment comes in the power sector. The government has proposed investments of more than Rs 77,000 crore across thermal, hydropower, solar and battery storage projects. If executed as planned, the projects are expected to increase electricity generation, reduce dependence on outside supply and strengthen Assam’s position as an energy hub in the Northeast.
Road and transport infrastructure continue to receive attention. Work under Asom Mala 4.0 will move ahead alongside major projects such as the Guwahati Ring Road, the Silchar High-Speed Corridor and the Gohpur-Numaligarh tunnel. The Budget also proposes developing an aerotropolis around Guwahati airport to support business activity and attract fresh investment.
Agriculture has been linked more closely with markets than before. Along with encouraging organic farming, the government has announced support for speciality tea, including Matcha, while promising assistance for exports and farmer producer organisations to help improve farm incomes.
The Budget also connects employment with industrial expansion. The government expects investment commitments made during Advantage Assam 2.0, together with projects like the Tata semiconductor facility, to generate new opportunities in manufacturing and related sectors over the coming years.
In healthcare, the focus is on expanding services at the grassroots. The government plans to post MBBS doctors in more sub-centres and create thousands of additional medical and support staff positions to strengthen public health infrastructure.
The government has also projected confidence in the state’s finances, citing growth in tax collections, higher capital expenditure and borrowing levels that remain within prescribed limits.
Taken together, the Budget indicates that the government is placing greater emphasis on creating long-term economic capacity alongside its welfare programmes.
