Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on Friday, 10 July 2026 presented the 2026-27 state Budget in the Assam Legislative Assembly in Guwahati, laying out an employment-first roadmap anchored by 10 key initiatives spanning job creation, infrastructure, healthcare, education, and social welfare. The Budget is among the most expansive in recent Assam history, anchoring a ₹72,000 crore power-sector commitment alongside a target of 2 lakh government jobs.

Employment and Skill Development

Job creation sits at the heart of the Budget. The state government has committed to filling 2 lakh government positions, the single largest employment target announced in the Budget speech. Beyond direct recruitment, the government plans to boost youth employability through skill development programmes covering artificial intelligence, visual effects (VFX), and foreign languages including English, Japanese, and Korean — signalling an intent to connect Assam's workforce to both domestic and international job markets.

The healthcare sector will also see a major staffing push, with the government announcing plans to recruit 33,000 healthcare personnel to strengthen district hospitals and improve public health delivery across the state.

Power and Infrastructure: The Big Numbers

The Budget proposes an investment of ₹72,000 crore in the power sector, covering thermal, hydro, solar, and battery energy storage projects. The scale of the commitment reflects Assam's ambition to not only meet its own future energy demands but to position itself as an energy hub for the wider Northeast.

In aviation, the government has set a target of expanding Guwahati Airport to an 80-million-passenger capacity, a move that would make it one of India's largest airports by throughput and a critical gateway for the region. Broader infrastructure proposals include accelerated work on roads, bridges, rail, and airport connectivity across the state.

In a notable regional development move, Baruah proposed the construction of Dibrugarh as Assam's second capital, aimed at promoting balanced development in Upper Assam and improving administrative accessibility beyond Guwahati.

Agriculture and Irrigation

To strengthen the agrarian backbone of the state, the Budget allocates ₹4,000 crore for irrigation projects in the Brahmaputra valley. The outlay is intended to expand irrigation coverage and raise agricultural productivity in a region where flood cycles and water management remain perennial challenges.

Healthcare, Education and Social Welfare

The government reaffirmed continuity for flagship welfare schemes — Orunodoi, Nijut Moina, and other social security programmes — ensuring that existing beneficiaries face no disruption. Welfare programmes for tea tribe communities and plantation workers will also continue, with a focus on healthcare, nutrition, and living conditions in tea-growing belts.

In education, the Finance Minister reaffirmed ongoing recruitment of teachers across universities, colleges, and newly established institutions to address faculty shortages and improve higher education infrastructure.

What Comes Next

The Budget now moves to the Assembly for debate and passage. Implementation timelines for the Dibrugarh second-capital proposal, the Guwahati Airport expansion, and the power-sector investments are yet to be detailed. Whether the 2 lakh jobs target comes with a binding recruitment calendar will be closely watched by opposition parties and civil society groups in the months ahead.