The Budget targets 2 lakh government jobs over the next five years, proposes a ₹72,000 crore investment in the power sector, and continues flagship welfare schemes such as Orunodoi and Nijut Moina.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma described it as a “revenue-neutral” Budget, saying revenue receipts, revenue expenditure and capital expenditure are balanced, reflecting the state’s fiscal health.
Employment, infrastructure in focus
The government plans to create 2 lakh employment opportunities over the next five years by filling vacancies and creating new posts across government departments, universities, medical colleges, statutory bodies, Sixth Schedule councils and state-owned companies. A task force headed by the Chief Secretary has been formed to prepare the recruitment roadmap.
To improve youth employability, the Budget proposes skill development programmes in artificial intelligence (AI), visual effects (VFX) and foreign languages, including English, Japanese and Korean.
The Budget also earmarks ₹72,000 crore for thermal, hydro, solar and battery energy storage projects to strengthen Assam’s power infrastructure. It proposes expanding Guwahati Airport into an 80-million-passenger-capacity aviation hub and accelerating road, rail, bridge and airport connectivity projects. The government also announced plans to develop Dibrugarh as Assam’s second capital.
Healthcare, education and welfare
The state plans to recruit 33,000 healthcare personnel to strengthen public health services and continue teacher recruitment in universities, colleges and newly established educational institutions.
To boost agriculture, the Budget allocates ₹4,000 crore for irrigation projects in the Brahmaputra Valley.
The government has earmarked over ₹6,000 crore for flagship welfare schemes, including Orunodoi and Nijut Moina, which will resume from August after being paused during the election period. All beneficiary-oriented schemes will be delivered through the Digital Infrastructure for DBT Schemes (DIDS) with Aadhaar-based authentication.
Polygamy, welfare eligibility and tax proposals
The Budget proposes that men practising polygamy will be ineligible for state welfare benefits, while government employees found guilty of the practice could face dismissal through amendments to the Assam Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1964. Individuals convicted under criminal law will also be barred from notified welfare schemes.
The Budget proposes to quadruple the tax exemption limit for small tea growers and reduce VAT on piped natural gas by nearly 10 percentage points, while targeting a Budget deficit of ₹419 crore.
Addressing a press conference after the Budget presentation, Sarma said the fiscal plan reflects the BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ commitments on employment, women empowerment, connectivity, power and agriculture. He added that capital expenditure has increased from ₹2,951 crore in 2015-16 to ₹29,000 crore, while the Budget remains largely tax-neutral, except for a proposed green cess aimed at discouraging pollution.
The chief minister also said Assam is working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to develop a ₹1,200-crore semiconductor ecosystem and plans to introduce AI modules in state government offices in phases, beginning with four to five departments.