Pune: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 on Sunday. While there were high expectations for special announcements concerning Pune, the city was mentioned only twice throughout the finance minister’s entire budget speech. This has left many Pune residents feeling that the city did not receive much in this budget.
This was Finance Minister Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive budget. Her speech lasted 1 hour and 25 minutes, compared to last year’s speech of 1 hour and 17 minutes. During this address, she mentioned Pune twice while announcing the expansion of the country’s high-speed rail network.
Sitharaman announced the development of seven high-speed rail corridors aimed at promoting environmentally sustainable public transport and connecting major metropolises. She stated that these corridors will accelerate the country’s path toward development.
The seven announced corridors are Mumbai to Pune, Pune to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Bengaluru, Hyderabad to Chennai, Chennai to Bengaluru, Delhi to Varanasi, and Varanasi to Siliguri.
In the Union Budget, Minister Sitharaman also emphasised three primary “duties” (objectives) for the government. They were as follows:
First Duty – Accelerating Economic Growth: To increase and sustain the pace of economic development by enhancing productivity, competitiveness, boosting industries, and creating world-class infrastructure.
Second Duty – Fulfilling Citizens’ Aspirations: To empower citizens through skill development and capacity building, ensuring they are active participants in the nation’s prosperity and are employment-ready.
Third Duty – Inclusive Development: Based on the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”, this focus aims to ensure that every family, community, and region has equal access to resources, basic facilities, and opportunities for progress.
