Tabling her last budget before the state goes to polls, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog presents a INR 62,294.78 crore interim budget for the 2026-27 fiscal
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GUWAHATI — Presenting a INR 62,294.78 crore interim budget for the 2026-27 fiscal ahead of the Assembly elections, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog on Tuesday said major flagship schemes giving direct cash benefits will continue in the years to come.
Tabling her last budget before the state goes to polls, Neog said Assam is currently the fastest-growing state according to RBI data.
"I seek a vote on account on the demands for grants for the initial months of the financial year 2026-27, amounting to INR 62,29,478.30 lakh to enable the government to carry on with its normal services pending full budget," she said.
Neog claimed that the flagship 'Nijut Moina' scheme resulted in an 8.2 per cent reduction in dropout among girl students between 2023-24 and 2024-25, and an increase in gross enrollment ratio for girls by 4.2 per cent at the secondary level and 7.5 per cent at the senior secondary level.
"This has already established a clear and powerful mandate for expanding the Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu schemes in the years to come," she added.
Through 'Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni', the government has committed about INR 260 crore towards monthly financial assistance ranging from INR 1,000 to INR 2,500, supporting over 5.5 lakh girl students, the finance minister said.
"Similarly, under Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Scheme, monthly financial assistance of INR 1,000-INR 2,000 will be provided to 47,428 boys from economically weaker families enrolled in the first year of undergraduate and postgraduate courses," she added.
Through the Chief Minister's Jibon Prerana Scheme, the government will cover 48,319 fresh graduates with a monthly financial assistance of INR 2,500, Neog said.
"Under Pragyan Bharti, admission fees worth INR 780 crore were waived for economically weaker students, benefiting an average of 3.5 lakh UG and PG students each year," she added.
The Assembly elections for 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April.
On Assam's poverty alleviation scheme 'Orunodoi', Neog said the programme is the BJP government's "promise in action".
"We expanded its coverage from 19 lakh families during the launch in 2021 to nearly 40 lakh today, including Divyangjan, transgender persons, and other vulnerable groups, making it the largest social assistance programme in the history of Assam," she added.
Neog said the government's resolve to empower 'Orunodoi' families will continue with enhanced assistance and convergence with major welfare programmes such as NFSA, PMAY-Gramin, PMAY-Urban and insurance schemes like PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PJJBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
"Under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan, we have empowered over 30.63 lakh eligible women by providing INR 10,000 as seed capital per SHG member. Today, I am proud to present that 8.80 lakh Lakhpati Baideo are the engines driving our rural economy," she added.
Neog further said under 'Mission Basundhara', the BJP government distributed land pattas to over three lakh landless beneficiaries, including 24,688 institutions, and settled approximately 4.15 lakh bighas of land, in the last five years.
The BJP leader asserted that the budgets she presented in the last five years were far more than mere financial statements.
"They were a solemn commitment to building a resilient Assam and I can say with humble pride that we have fulfilled our commitments through multiple social sector flagship schemes and assistance, ensuring inclusive growth," she added.
In her 33-page budget speech, Neog said Assam is poised to become a INR 10 lakh-crore economy by 2028, ahead of the state's own 2030 target.
"At constant prices, the state's Gross State Domestic Product expanded by 45 per cent between FY 2019-20 and FY 2024-25, significantly outperforming the national growth average of 29 per cent," she added.
Neog pointed out that the Economic Survey of Assam projected a growth rate of 16.93 per cent with the GSDP estimated at INR 8,71,451 crore for 2026–27.
"Between FY 2020-21 and FY 2024-25, our 83 per cent growth in per-capita income has made us the fastest-growing state in the country in terms of per-capita income, clearly demonstrating that our growth is reaching people's lives, not just economic reports," she added.
The finance minister said Assam's per capita income more than doubled in five years to INR 1,85,429 in 2025-26 from INR 86,947 in 2020-21, representing a jump of 113 per cent.
"While capital spending has expanded, borrowing has been managed prudently. Since FY 2021-22, Assam has undertaken cumulative capital expenditure of INR 1,04,896 crore1, while the increase in outstanding debt has been INR 84,037 crore, indicating that borrowings have been largely channelled towards asset creation," she added.
She said securing the basic right to food, the government has covered 70.71 lakh families and provided free rice to over 2.49 crore citizens under the NFSA and PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
"Under the ongoing drive for inclusion of 5.04 lakh new beneficiaries, we have already added more than 65 lakh beneficiaries and issued over 14.60 lakh new ration cards in just 5 years," Neog said.
She said that Assam has doubled the medical colleges from seven to 14, and is currently investing INR 5,500 crore to build 10 more medical colleges, which will add 4,500 beds to the healthcare system.