The Assam government on Friday presented a Rs 2,85,084-crore state Budget for the 2026-27 financial year, proposing a four-fold increase in the tax exemption limit for small tea growers, a reduction in VAT on piped natural gas, continuation of major welfare schemes, and a reduction of the State Budget deficit to Rs 419 crore.
Tabling the first full budget of the 16th Assam Legislative Assembly, state finance minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said the state budget is guided by the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline, inclusive growth and the aspirations of every citizen.
He said the budget is built on the party’s Sankalp Patra (poll manifesto) and lays the foundation for a stronger, self-reliant and developed Assam.
The minister said that the state government has set a target of providing 2 lakh government jobs over the next five years, with 1.64 lakh appointments already made over the past five years.
“Besides, 1.15 lakh vacancies have been created to further strengthen the state’s employment generation drive. A high-level task force, led by the chief secretary, has been constituted to identify new employment opportunities and accelerate recruitment across emerging sectors,” Malla Baruah said.
Among the key proposals include the creation additional 800 kilometres of high-quality road infrastructure over the next five years, with an estimated expenditure of Rs 10,000 crore; major investment in higher education, with Rs 1,750 crore proposed to strengthen universities across the state and a major urban infrastructure package for Guwahati, with a Rs 2,500-crore project to shift the city’s overhead electricity network underground and a feasibility study for a metro rail system along the upcoming Guwahati Ring Road.
Besides, an ambitious roadmap has been proposed to transform the state into one of India’s top tourism destinations, including a new homestay policy, incentives for luxury hotels and measures to boost international connectivity.
