Haryana Chief Minister Unveils Ambitious Rs 2.05 Lakh Crore Budget

Chandigarh, March 17 (NationPress) During his inaugural Budget presentation, Haryana's Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, serving his second term, revealed a visionary Budget of Rs 2.05 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2025-26, reflecting a growth of 13.70 percent compared to the revised estimates for 2024-25.

This marks the first time the state has proposed a budget exceeding Rs 2 lakh crore. In the previous year, former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar introduced a budget totaling Rs 1.89 lakh crores.

As the Finance Minister, Saini mentioned that the government had received 11,000 suggestions for the Budget. Out of the 217 promises made in the party manifesto, 19 have been successfully implemented.

He announced the creation of a new Department of Future, dedicated to investigating emerging technologies and their potential applications.

Aimed at combating drug-related issues, the Substance Abuse Narcotics Knowledge Awareness and Liberation Program (SANKALP) was proposed with an initial funding of Rs 10 crore.

Furthermore, a World Bank-funded Haryana Artificial Intelligence Mission will be established with a budget of Rs 474 crore, featuring hubs in Gurugram and Panchkula.

Saini emphasized the importance of education and health as pivotal areas for the state’s advancement. He proposed the establishment of model Sanskriti schools every 10 km and introduced the Kalpana Chawla scholarship to assist students.

Additionally, French language instruction will begin in state-run schools from Class III, broadening linguistic opportunities for young learners. The government also plans to implement e-libraries in all model schools to enhance access to digital educational resources. To further improve higher education, model colleges will be set up in every district.

To address the declining water table, Saini announced an increase in the subsidy for discontinuing water-intensive paddy cultivation from Rs 7,000 per acre to Rs 8,000 under the Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana.

A horticulture research center is to be established in Palwal, along with a flower market in Gurugram.

Regarding state debt, Saini stated, “There have been attempts to mislead the public about government debt.” He reassured that the current debt levels remain within the established limits, as they were in 2014-15.

Under the Mission Haryana - 2047, the Budget aims to elevate the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) to $1 trillion, with an initial allocation of Rs 5 crore for this mission.

The state’s GSDP was recorded at Rs 4,37,145 crore in 2014-15 and is projected to reach Rs 12,13,951 crore by 2024-25. The per capita income, which stood at Rs 147,382 in 2014-15, is estimated to rise to Rs 353,182 in 2024-25.

The GSDP witnessed an average growth of 10.8 percent, while the per capita income increased by 9.1 percent.