NewKerala.com

Budget 2026 Boosts NE with Rs 6,812 Crore, Agri & Healthcare Push

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hailed the Union Budget 2026-27 as historic, highlighting a significant allocation of Rs 6,812 crore for the Northeastern Region. He detailed increased budgets for agriculture and rural development, including a major fertiliser subsidy. The budget also introduces the Biopharma SHAKTI initiative with a Rs 10,000 crore outlay to boost healthcare research. Specific benefits for Assam include approval for mustard procurement and substantial tax devolution funds since 2014.

Key Points: Budget 2026-27: NE Gets Rs 6,812 Crore, Agri Boost, Says Chouhan

  • Rs 6,812 crore for NE development
  • Agri budget raised to Rs 1.32 lakh crore
  • New Biopharma SHAKTI initiative with Rs 10,000 crore
  • Over Rs 1.51 lakh crore for VB-G RAM G Act
2 min read

Union Budget provides booster for northeast: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Agri Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan hails historic budget with increased NE allocation, higher agri budget, and new Biopharma SHAKTI initiative.

Union Budget provides booster for northeast: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
"The Budget will bring positive change to the nation as well as to the Northeastern region - Shivraj Singh Chouhan"

Guwahati, Feb 11

Hailing the Union Budget 2026-27 as historic and futuristic, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Wednesday that Rs 6,812 crore has been allocated to the Ministry of Development of the Northeastern Region, which is Rs 897 crore more than the previous Budget.

The Budget will bring positive change to the nation as well as to the Northeastern region, he added.

Addressing a press conference here, Chouhan also informed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has approved the proposal of the Assam government for the procurement of 60,500 MT rapeseed/mustard for the Rabi 2026 season at the Minimum Support Price under the Price Support Scheme in the state.

About Assam, the minister said that for FY 2026-27, Rs 49,725 crore has been budgeted towards tax devolution.

Since 2014, Assam has received approximately Rs 3.12 lakh crore through tax devolution, he noted.

Among the healthcare initiatives announced in the Budget is Biopharma SHAKTI (Strategy for Healthcare Advancement through Knowledge, Technology and Innovation), with an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore over five years, aimed at strengthening domestic capabilities in biologics and biosimilars to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.

As part of this initiative, existing institutions such as NIPER Guwahati will be upgraded, contributing to research, innovation and skilled manpower development in the region, the Union Minister said.

Chouhan further informed that the agriculture budget has been increased to Rs 1,32,561 crore this year, reinforcing the Narendra Modi government's commitment to farmers' welfare.

"A provision of Rs 9,967 crore has been made for agricultural education and research to strengthen innovation and scientific advancement. To ensure the availability of affordable fertilisers and reduce production costs for farmers, a fertiliser subsidy of Rs 1,70,944 crore has been provided," he said.

Regarding the Ministry of Rural Development, Chouhan said its budget has been increased by 21 per cent this year.

Within this, a provision of over Rs 1.51 lakh crore has been made for the 'VB - G RAM G' Act as compared to Rs 86,000 crore under the previous MGNREG Act, he noted.

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
The increase in agriculture budget and MSP for mustard is good news for our farmers in Assam. But the real test is timely procurement and fair prices. We've heard big numbers before. Let's see the implementation.
A
Arjun K
Rs 10,000 crore for Biopharma SHAKTI is a visionary project. Strengthening healthcare research in the Northeast can make it a hub for the entire country. This is true nation-building.
S
Sarah B
As someone who has worked in rural development, a 21% increase for the ministry is significant. The shift from MGNREGA to the new 'VB-G RAM G' Act with almost double the allocation needs close monitoring to ensure it creates sustainable assets, not just wages.
V
Vikram M
Tax devolution of nearly Rs 50,000 crore for Assam is huge! This should translate into better roads, schools, and hospitals in the state. The figures since 2014 show a consistent push. Hope the state government utilizes it well.
K
Kavya N
The fertiliser subsidy is a relief for farmers, but the long-term solution is promoting organic farming and reducing dependency. The budget for agri-research is a step in that direction. Jai Kisan! 🌾

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50