Bhopal, February 5 (NationPress) - Madhya Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda announced on Thursday that the forthcoming budget for the financial year 2026-27 will implement a “rolling budget” strategy, featuring a planning framework that spans the next three years, concluding in 2028.

During an exclusive interview with IANS in his home district of Mandsaur, Devda, who also oversees the Finance portfolio, emphasized that the budget will be “fully dedicated to the people of Madhya Pradesh”, with particular emphasis on women’s empowerment, youth employment, and the welfare of farmers and the economically disadvantaged.

“The budget for 2026-27 will utilize a rolling budget approach, which means we are planning with a three-year outlook. I assure you that this budget will focus on the holistic development of Madhya Pradesh,” Devda stated.

He highlighted that the budget is being formulated after extensive discussions with representatives from all segments of society, including economic experts, ensuring an inclusive and sustainable growth trajectory.

Contrasting with the previous year's budget formulation, Devda pointed out that the 2025-26 budget was created using a “zero-based budgeting” approach. This method required all state departments to reevaluate their actual financial needs rather than relying on historical allocations.

“Last year, we adopted zero-based budgeting, gathering detailed feedback from every department regarding their actual expenses and future requirements. This year, we are building on that framework while introducing a three-year perspective to foster continuity and strategic planning in budgeting,” he remarked.

The state government’s budget for 2025-26 was set at Rs 4.21 lakh crore.

The Madhya Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to meet on February 16 for the ninth session of the 16th Vidhan Sabha, with the budget for the 2026-27 financial year to be presented on February 18, as recently announced by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

This will mark the first significant Assembly session of 2026 under the leadership of the Yadav-led BJP government, which holds 163 seats in the 230-member House. The Congress party, with 66 MLAs, is expected to challenge the government on issues such as inflation, unemployment, and farmers’ struggles.

Given the state’s substantial tribal and rural population, this session is anticipated to emphasize inclusive growth, infrastructure development, and agricultural support, including the rollout of central initiatives like PM-KISAN and Ayushman Bharat.