Assam Budget 2026-27: ₹2.85 Lakh Crore Outlay, 2 Lakh Jobs Target, Orunodoi Restart From August

GUWAHATI, July 10: Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on Friday presented a Budget of around Rs 2.85 lakh crore for 2026-27 in the State Assembly, with a projected revenue deficit of Rs 419 crore and a series of announcements covering welfare schemes, infrastructure, healthcare, power and employment generation.

The Budget estimates revenue receipts at Rs 2,13,692 crore and revenue expenditure at Rs 2,14,111 crore, while capital expenditure has been pegged at Rs 37,769 crore.

Presenting the 11th Budget of the NDA government, Mallabaruah said the state had maintained fiscal discipline even as development spending expanded significantly. He pointed out that the Budget size has increased from Rs 79,296 crore in 2015-16 to the current level, while Assam’s debt-to-GSDP ratio stands at 24.81 per cent, below the FRBM limit of 32 per cent.

Two lakh employment opportunities

One of the major announcements was the government’s target of creating two lakh employment opportunities over the next five years across government departments, universities, medical colleges, statutory bodies, societies and state-owned entities.

A task force headed by the Chief Secretary has been constituted to prepare a roadmap for recruitment and creation of new posts in sectors such as police, revenue administration, education, healthcare and forest services.

Orunodoi to resume from August

Disbursement under the flagship Orunodoi scheme will resume from August. The scheme now covers nearly 40 lakh households across Assam.

The government will continue pension support under Swahid Kushal Konwar Sarbajanin Briddha Pension Achoni and the widow pension scheme through Orunodoi Plus.

Financial assistance under Jibon Prerana for graduates will restart from September, while transfers under Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni for the academic year 2026-27 will begin from October. Mallabaruah announced that Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Asoni would become a regular government scheme.

More than Rs 6,000 crore has been proposed for various welfare programmes.

Subsidised dal and sugar

From August, NFSA ration card holders will receive subsidised masur dal and sugar, with the subsidy linked to market prices. The government will also examine the feasibility of including mustard oil in the subsidised basket, with preference for locally produced oil.

Small and marginal farmers will continue to receive Rs 11,000 annually under Mukhya Mantrir Krishi Sa-Sajuli Yojana. The state will maintain procurement incentives of Rs 200 per quintal for paddy and maize and Rs 300 per quintal for mustard.

Asom Mala 4.0 and major connectivity projects

The government announced Asom Mala 4.0, under which 800 km of high-quality roads will be developed over the next five years at an estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crore.

Work is also progressing on projects involving investments of more than Rs 55,000 crore, including the Guwahati Ring Road, Greenfield Silchar High Speed Corridor, Kaziranga Elevated Corridor and the Gohpur-Numaligarh Brahmaputra Tunnel.

The Silchar corridor is expected to reduce travel time between Guwahati and Silchar from around 8.5 hours to nearly 5 hours.

Aerotropolis around Guwahati airport

Under the new Asom Nagar Unnayan Abhiyan, the government will develop an aerotropolis around Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport through the Guwahati Satellite City Development Authority.

An amount of Rs 2,100 crore has been earmarked for land acquisition. The project will include industrial and commercial districts and modern urban infrastructure.

Rs 77,353 crore power sector expansion

Assam’s power sector will see planned investments of Rs 77,353 crore across hydro, solar, thermal and energy storage projects.

Four pumped storage projects with a combined capacity of 4,900 MW and private investment of around Rs 27,100 crore have been approved. The 120 MW Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project has entered the trial commissioning stage and is expected to be fully commissioned this month.

The government also plans to add 15,000 circuit kilometres of transmission and distribution lines, 120 new substations and 20,000 high-voltage distribution transformers over the next five years.

Healthcare expansion

The Budget proposes the creation of 33,240 healthcare posts, including 6,814 MBBS doctors, 10,942 staff nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, radiographers and ANMs.

Four new medical colleges will be established in Goalpara, Hailakandi, Hojai and Bajali, taking the total number of medical colleges in the state to 28.

A Rs 550-crore Proton Therapy facility will be established at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital, making it the first state government institution in the country to offer the advanced cancer treatment.

Mission Basundhara 4.0

Mission Basundhara 4.0 will focus on digital surveys of char areas, land rights in Barak Valley and settlement of land rights for indigenous communities including Moran, Matak, Ahom, Chutia and Koch Rajbongshi groups.

More than 3.56 lakh families have already received ownership rights over 4.53 lakh bighas of land under earlier phases of the programme.

Semiconductor and aerospace initiatives

The government proposed the Assam Semiconductor Ecosystem on Manufacturing and Innovation (A-SEMI) in partnership with JICA, with an estimated outlay of Rs 1,164 crore over five years.

The Budget has also earmarked Rs 100 crore to develop an aerospace components manufacturing ecosystem linked to Assam’s aviation infrastructure and MRO policy.

Barak Valley focus

For Barak Valley, the government proposed strengthening the Assam Secretariat in Silchar, pursuing an AIIMS satellite centre in Sribhumi and establishing a conventional zoo in Silchar.

A Greenfield Airport at Doloo, Silchar, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,134 crore, is under consideration.

Culture, tourism and heritage

The Budget includes financial support for commercial feature films on Lachit Barphukan and Swahid Kushal Konwar. The government will also pursue UNESCO recognition for additional Assamese heritage elements, including Bihu, Majuli’s Vaishnavite culture and the Ahom capital of Rangpur-Sivasagar.

A new Homestay Policy offers 30 per cent capital subsidy and interest subvention for eligible operators. Five-star hotels have also been proposed in Umrangso, Haflong and Manas.

Dibrugarh to get Second State Capital Region

The government announced the creation of the Second State Capital Region (SCR)-Dibrugarh and a dedicated development authority covering areas within a 20-km radius of the Dibrugarh Capital Complex.

An amount of Rs 500 crore has been allocated over the next five years for infrastructure augmentation and developmental initiatives in the Dibrugarh Capital Region.