Policy update
Gargi Bisht
Assam, situated in the North- East of India is the largest north eastern state both in terms of population as well as in terms of area. Assam’s 2026 – 27 Budget marks an important shift in the state’s development strategy: from primarily expanding welfare and basic infrastructure towards combining social protection with industrialisation, employment creation, human-capital development and large-scale productive investment. Presented on 10 July 2026, the Budget estimates expenditure from the Consolidated Fund at ₹1,56,715 crore, against receipts of ₹1,51,843 crore, while targeting the fiscal deficit at 3% of projected GSDP.
Against this backdrop, the Budget organises policy under the “Sankalpa to Samridhi” framework, comprising six priorities: irrigation and agriculture; infrastructure and connectivity; human development and women-centric welfare; energy security and green growth; employment, entrepreneurship and investment; and land, heritage and identity. These are operationalised through the Ashtadash Mukutar Unnoyonee Maala, a package of 18 flagship initiatives.
The underlying policy direction is significant for both Assam and India. Assam is seeking to convert its geographical position – into a gateway to Northeast, while simultaneously building the welfare, skills, energy and industrial base necessary to participate more substantially in India’s growth.
Assam Budget 2026-27 – Department Wise List
1. Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension & Public Grievances – Total Budget: 24,530 Crore
- Kritagyata | Year: 2020 | Allocation: 2.66 crore | Key Details: Retirement-gratuity/pension-related support administered through Assam’s pension system.
- Directorate of Pension | Allocation: 7.13 crore | Key Details: Departmental pension administration and service delivery.
2. Agriculture – Total Budget: 1,789 crore
- Krishionnati Yojana | Year: 2018 (restructured) | Allocation: 395 crore | Key Details: Umbrella agricultural development programme covering production and allied-sector interventions.
- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana | Year: 2007–08 | Allocation: 290 crore | Key Details: Promotes public investment and state-led agricultural development through district planning.
- Fasal Bima Yojna / PMFBY | Year: 2016–17 | Allocation: 178.98 crore | Key Details: Provides crop-insurance protection against specified crop losses and risks.
- Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States | Year: 2001–02 | Allocation: 52.40 crore | Key Details: Supports integrated horticulture development from production through post-harvest management.
3. Finance –
- Orunodoi 3.0 | Year: 2020–21 (Orunodoi) | Allocation: 3,700 crore | Key Details: Provides monthly financial assistance to economically vulnerable women through DBT.
- Apon Ghar | Year: 2016-17 | Allocation: 88.20 crore | Key Details: Provides subsidised housing loans/interest support to eligible government employees.
- Apon Bahan | Year: 2023 | Allocation: 8.82 crore | Key Details: Provides interest subsidy/support for eligible government employees purchasing vehicles.
- ATISIS | Year: 2020 | Allocation: 125 crore | Key Details: To revive the state’s tea industry, mitigate financial distress, and encourage the production of high-value Orthodox and specialty teas.
- Bidyalaxmi | Year: 2016-17 | Allocation: 0.78 crore | Key Details: Education-linked financial support initiative.
4. General Administration – Total Budget: 1,180 Crore
- Co-Districts | Year: 2023 | Key Details: Decentralised grassroots administration.
- Assam Bhawans | Key Details: Provides state facilities/accommodation and representation outside Assam.
5. Skill, Employment & Entrepreneurship – Total Budget: 496 Crore
- Mukhya Mantri Jibon Prerana | Year: 2025-26 | Allocation: 118.58 crore | Key Details: Provides ₹2,500 per month to eligible graduates transitioning from education to employment.
6. Heritage
- Directorate of Cultural Affairs | Year : 1987 | Allocation: 128 crore | Key Details : protect, preserve, and promote the diverse art, heritage, and indigenous cultures of the state.
7. Animal Husbandry & Veterinary – Total Budget: 731 crore
- Directorate of Animal Husbandry & Veterinary | Allocation: 581 crore
- Development Directorate of Dairy | Allocation: 72 crore
- RIDF – Rejuvenation of Town Milk Supply Scheme | Allocation: 25 crore | Key Details: Rejuvenates town milk-supply infrastructure and services.
- Organisation of 200 Dairy Cooperative Societies | Allocation: 26.40 crore | Key Details: Promotes dairy cooperatives to strengthen organised milk procurement and farmer participation.
7. Fisheries – Total Budget: 144 crore
- Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana | Year: 2020 | Allocation: 33.47 crore | Key Details: Supports sustainable fisheries development, infrastructure, production and value chains.
- ASAPLI | Year: 2025 | Allocation: 13.99 crore | Key Details: Assam fisheries livelihood/infrastructure initiative; reliable launch year not located.
9. Health & Family Welfare – Total Budget: 4,635 crore
- Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme | Year: 2016 | Allocation: 14.70 crore | Key Details: Provides accessible dialysis services through the national public-health system.
- National Health Mission | Year: 2013 | Allocation: 70 crore | Key Details: Strengthens health systems and supports maternal, child and disease-control programmes.
10. Medical Education & Research – Total Budget: 3,535 crore
- ASSIST | Allocation: 263 crore | Key Details: Medical-education/health infrastructure initiative; launch year not located.
- Mukhya Mantri Lok Sewa Arogya Yojana (MMLSA) | Year: 2024 | Allocation: 100 crore | Key Details: Provides cashless healthcare benefits to eligible Assam government employees and pensioners.
11. Higher Education – Total Budget: 3798 crore
- Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni | Year: 2024 | Allocation: 207 crore | Key Details: Provides monthly financial assistance to girl students to encourage higher education and reduce child marriage.
- Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Asoni | Year: 2025 | Allocation: 53 crore | Key Details: Extends education-linked financial support to eligible male students.
- Dr. Bani Kanta Kakati Merit Award | Year: 2017 | Allocation: 127 crore | Key Details: Rewards meritorious students with support for higher education and mobility.
12. Panchayat & Rural Development – Total Budget: 9,171 crore
- Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana–Gramin (PMAY-G) | Year: 2016 | Allocation: 2,470 crore | Key Details: Provides pucca houses with basic amenities to eligible houseless and kutcha rural households.
- NRLM / DAY-NRLM | Year: 2011 | Allocation: 250 crore | Key Details: Organises rural poor households, especially women, into SHGs and supports livelihoods and financial inclusion.
- DDU-Gram Kalyan Yojana | Allocation: 50 crore | Key Details: Budget-listed rural development scheme; not equated with DDU-GKY without an official equivalence source.
13. Power – Total Budget: 2,579 crore
- Chief Inspectorate of Electricity | Allocation: 2579 crore
- Affordable Electricity Scheme | Allocation: 294 crore | Key Details: Avail electricity at affordable cost
14. Public Works / Roads – Total Budget: 10,399 crore
- Mukhya Mantri Paki Path Nirman Yojana | Year: 2004 | Allocation: 1,406 crore | Key Details: State road-construction programme for improving rural and local connectivity.
- Mukhya Mantrir Unnata Paki Path Nirman Achani | Year: 2022-23 | Allocation: 890 crore | Key Details: Upgrades and improves road connectivity through state-supported construction.
- Priority Scheme | Allocation: 2,030 crore | Key Details: Funds priority state infrastructure works. (Assam Resilient Rural Bridges Program | Key Details: Builds/improves rural bridges with a focus on resilient connectivity; Asom Mala 4.0 | Key Details: Continues Assam’s integrated road-corridor and connectivity development programme.)
- PMGSY Works | Year: 2000 | Allocation: 575 crore | Key Details: Provides all-weather road connectivity to eligible unconnected rural habitations.
15. Irrigation – Total Budget: 954 crore
- Chief Engineer, Irrigation Department | Allocation: 954 crore
16. Revenue & Disaster Management – Total Budget: 3,831 crore
- Mission Basundhara 4.0 | Year: 2026 | Allocation: 61 crore | Key Details: Modernises land governance through surveys, records, registration and integrated digital systems.
- Assam State Disaster Management Authority | Allocation: 106 crore
- Directorate of Land Records and Surveys | Allocation: 553 crore
(Project Jorip- Supports modern land survey and mapping; Project MATI- Land-governance/digital land initiative; Project ASOM -Land-governance initiative; detailed launch information not located.)
- Computerisation of Land Registration / Panjeeyan | Allocation: 12.44 crore | Key Details: Digitises land-registration processes and records.
17. Industries, Commerce & Public Enterprise – Total Budget: 1,557 crore
- Advantage Assam | Year: 2018 | Allocation: 9.55 crore | Key Details: Investment-promotion platform aimed at converting investment commitments into projects and jobs.
- Chief Minister’s Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan | Year: 2023 | Allocation: 500 crore | Key Details: Provides financial support/loans and incentives to young entrepreneurs for self-employment.
- MRO Policy, 2025 | Year: 2025 | Allocation: 100 crore | Key Details: Creates a policy framework to develop maintenance, repair and overhaul activity in Assam.
- Commissionerate of Industries & Commerce | Allocation: 1504 crore
18. Innovation, Incubation & Start-ups – Total Budget: 70 crore
- Assam Startup – NEST | Year: 2018 | Key Details: Supports startups through incubation, mentoring, ecosystem support and entrepreneurship promotion.
- Assam Startup Venture Capital Fund | Key Details: Provides venture-capital support to eligible Assam startups.
19. Handloom, Textiles & Sericulture – Total Budget: 274 crore
- Swanirbhar Naari | Year: 2022 | Allocation: 0.98 crore | Key Details: Supports women artisans/weavers by facilitating livelihood opportunities and market access.
- Assam Silk Outreach Mission (Muga) | Year: – | Allocation: 1.47 crore | Key Details: Expands awareness, production and outreach around Assam’s Muga silk sector.
- Procurement of Gamocha/Aronai from indigenous weavers | Year: – | Allocation: 2.93 crore | Key Details: Creates institutional market support for indigenous weavers through government procurement.
20. Tourism – Total Budget: 72 crore
- Amar Alohi Rural Homestay Scheme | Year: 2022 | Allocation: 2.50 crore | Key Details: Promotes rural homestays, community-based tourism and self-employment in rural/semi-urban areas.
- Tourist Information & Publicity | Allocation: 5.78 crore | Key Details: Supports tourist information, publicity and destination promotion.
21. Transport – Total Budget: 488 crore
- Regional Connectivity Schemes – airports | Year: 2016 | Allocation: 9.80 crore | Key Details: Supports regional air connectivity under the government’s regional-connectivity framework.
- Assam Inland Water Transport Development Society | Year: 2017 | Allocation: 97 crore | Key Details: Develops safer, more efficient and modern inland-water transport systems.
- ISBT construction | Allocation: 3.98 crore | Key Details: Develops inter-state bus-terminal infrastructure.
- Jibondinga | Year: 2020 | Key Details: Inland-water transport/livelihood initiative; detailed launch information not located.
22. Social Justice & Empowerment – Total Budget: 489 crore
- SIPDA | Year: 2016 | Key Details: Supports implementation of disability-related accessibility, rehabilitation and empowerment measures.
- Renovation of schools for persons with disabilities | Allocation: 2.80 crore | Key Details: Improves school infrastructure for learners with disabilities.
- National Programme for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities | Allocation: 0.10 crore | Key Details: Supports rehabilitation services and access for persons with disabilities.
23. Tea Tribes & Adivasi Welfare – Total Budget: 173 crore
- Swahid Dayal Das Panika Swaniyojan Achoni | Year: 2018 | Key Details: Self-employment support initiative for eligible Tea Tribe/Adivasi beneficiaries.
- Construction of Sports Academy | Allocation: 3.33 crore | Key Details: Develops sports-training infrastructure for Tea Tribe/Adivasi youth.
- Skill Training at Mahaprabhu Jagannath Community & Skill Centre | Allocation: 1.60 crore | Key Details: Provides skill training to improve employability and livelihoods.
- Special Skill Training to Tea Tribe/Adivasi youth | Allocation: 0.81 crore | Key Details: Provides targeted skills training to improve youth employability.
24. Tribal Affairs – Total Budget: 808 crore
- Post-Matric Scholarships for ST(P) | Allocation: 194 crore | Key Details: Provides financial assistance to eligible Scheduled Tribe students pursuing post-matric education.
- Infrastructure Development in ITDP areas | Allocation: 61 crore | Key Details: Funds infrastructure development in Integrated Tribal Development Project areas.
- Assistance to Mising Autonomous Council | Allocation: 99 crore | Key Details: Provides financial support for development activities under the Mising Autonomous Council.
25. Women & Child Development – Total Budget: 3,800 crore
- PMMVY | Year: 2017 | Allocation: 70 crore (central share) | Key Details: Provides maternity benefit support to eligible pregnant and lactating women.
- Shakti Sadan | Year: 2022 | Allocation: 6 crore | Key Details: Provides shelter, care, rehabilitation and support services for women in difficult circumstances.
- Palna scheme | Year: 2022 | Allocation: 1.98 crore | Key Details: Provides crèche/day-care services to support children and enable women’s workforce participation.
- Special Nutrition Programme | Allocation: 684 crore | Key Details: Provides supplementary nutrition support to address maternal and child undernutrition.
- ICDS | Year: 1975 | Allocation: 1,580 crore | Key Details: Provides integrated early-childhood care, nutrition, health and preschool services.
- Mission Shakti | Year: 2022 | Allocation: 24.5 crore | Key Details: Umbrella programme for women’s safety, security and empowerment.
26. Water Resources – Total Budget: 1,670 crore
- State Specific Scheme – Brahmaputra/Barak Valley | Allocation: 294 crore | Key Details: Funds state-specific flood and water-resource interventions in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys.
- Barak Valley Flood Control Project | Allocation: 16 crore | Key Details: Supports flood-control infrastructure in the Barak Valley.
- Brahmaputra Flood Control Project – RIDF/NABARD | Allocation: 184 crore | Key Details: Supports flood-control works financed through RIDF/NABARD.
- Brahmaputra Flood & Riverbank Erosion Risk Management | Allocation: 58 crore | Key Details: Addresses flood and riverbank-erosion risks along the Brahmaputra.
- Climate Resilient Brahmaputra Integrated Flood & Riverbank Erosion Risk Management Phase II | Allocation: 65 crore | Key Details:Builds climate-resilient flood and riverbank-erosion management systems.
27. Environment & Forest – Total Budget: 970 crore
- Gaja Mitra 2.0 | Year: 2026 | Key Details: Human-elephant conflict mitigation and community-oriented elephant conservation initiative.
- UNESCO heritage nominations | Key Details: Supports preparation/promotion of Assam heritage sites for UNESCO recognition.
- Bon Mitra Abhijan | Allocation: 5.88 crore | Key Details: Promotes community participation in forest protection and conservation.
28. Information Technology – Total Budget: 50 crore
- Aadhaar Authentication User Agency | Allocation: 1.94 crore | Key Details: Enables Aadhaar-based authentication for eligible government digital services.
- Assam Unified Portal | Allocation: 0.98 crore | Key Details: Provides a unified digital gateway for government services/information.
- ASWAN | Allocation: 11.76 crore | Key Details: Assam State Wide Area Network for secure government connectivity.
- E-Office & E-Sparrow | Allocation: 2.45 crore | Key Details: Digitises office workflows and online performance-appraisal processes.
29. Judicial Department – Total Budget: 823 crore
- Bhoroxa App | Key Details: Digital justice/support platform for citizens and legal-service access.
- MACT Information Portal | Key Details: Provides digital information/services related to Motor Accident Claims Tribunals.
30. Public Health Engineering – Total Budget: 2,982 crore
- Urban Water Supply Schemes | Allocation: 196 crore | Key Details: Provides urban drinking-water infrastructure and services.
- Rural Water Supply | Allocation: 100 crore | Key Details: Provides drinking-water infrastructure and services in rural areas.
- Chief Engineer, Public Health Engineering 1582 crore
- Jal Jeevan Mission | Allocation: 200 crore
32. Act East Policy Affairs – Total Budget: Not disclosed
- Border Haats | Key Details: Promotes regulated cross-border trade and local economic linkages in border areas.
- Assam-Gelephu Mindfulness City SEZ Cooperation | Year: 2026 | Key Details: Provides for cooperation with Bhutan’s Gelephu development initiative.
33. Border Protection – Total Budget: 23 Crore
- Infrastructure Augmentation in Border Villages under RIDF | Allocation: 5 crore | Key Details: Strengthens infrastructure in border villages through RIDF support.
- Border Area Development Programme | Year: 1986–87 | Allocation: 0.41 crore | Key Details: Funds infrastructure and socio-economic development in border areas.
- Border infrastructure in four districts | Allocation: 0.47 crore | Key Details: Augments border infrastructure across four Assam districts.
34. Co-operation – Total Budget: 172 Crore
- One Village-One Cooperative | Year: 2026 | Key Details: Promotes at least one cooperative institution in villages to expand collective economic activity.
35. Excise – Total Budget: 88 Crore
- District Executive Establishment – New Office Building/Lock-up/Malkhana | Allocation: 1.21 crore | Key Details: Creates/improves district excise administrative and secure storage infrastructure.
36. Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs – Total Budget: 994 Crore
- NFSA | Year: 2013 | Allocation: 308.7 crore | Key Details: Provides subsidised foodgrains to eligible households under the National Food Security framework.
- Computerisation of TPDS/PDS Network | Allocation: 55.5 crore | Key Details: Digitises ration-card, supply-chain and public-distribution-system operations.
37. Hill Areas – Total Budget: 2,575 Crore
38. Home & Political – Total Budget: 7,835 Crore
- MOITRI | Year: 2016 | Key Details: Police modernisation initiative focused on technology, infrastructure and citizen-facing policing.
- e-Prisons | Year: 2017 | Key Details: Digitises prison-management records, processes and information exchange.
39. Housing & Urban Affairs – Total Budget: 4,413 Crore
- Urban Infrastructure Development Fund | Year: 2023 | Allocation: 49 crore | Key Details: Provides long-term funding support for urban infrastructure projects.
- City Amenities Development Fund | Allocation: 76.19 crore | Key Details: Funds urban civic amenities and city-level infrastructure.
- Smart City Mission | Year: 2015 | Allocation: 80.5 crore | Key Details: Develops cities with core infrastructure, improved quality of life and smart solutions.
- PM Awas Yojna (urban) | Year: 2015 | Allocation: 241 crore | Key Details: Supports affordable housing for eligible urban households.
- Swach Bharat Mission | Year: 2014 | Allocation: 1.9 crore | Key Details: Improves urban sanitation, waste management and cleanliness.
40. Implementation of Assam Accord – Total Budget: Not disclosed
41. Information, Public Relations, Printing & Stationery – Total Budget: 172 Crore
- Publicity for Government Schemes | Allocation: 39.30 crore | Key Details: Communicates government schemes, programmes and public information.
- Deshabhakta Day awareness programme | Allocation: 0.39 crore | Key Details: Supports public-awareness activities associated with Deshabhakta Day.
42. Labour Welfare – Total Budget: 89 Crore
- Inspectorate of Boilers infrastructure | Allocation: 0.70 crore | Key Details: Strengthens infrastructure and regulatory capacity of the Boiler Inspectorate.
- Labour Welfare Society | Allocation: 1.67 crore | Key Details: Provides welfare-oriented support/services for workers.
43. Legislative – Total Budget: Not disclosed
44. Parliamentary Affairs – Total Budget: Not disclosed
- Youth Parliament Scheme | Key Details: Promotes parliamentary awareness, debate and democratic participation among youth.
45. Personnel – Total Budget: Not disclosed
46. School Education – Total Budget: 18,869 Crore
- Nijut Moina | Year: 2024 | Allocation: 94.08 crore | Key Details: Provides monthly financial assistance to girl students to support continued education.
- Arohan | Year: 2021 | Allocation: 9.31 crore | Key Details: Provides career mentoring and guidance to selected students.
- Assam Bikash Yojana scholarship | Allocation: 22.49 crore | Key Details: Provides scholarship support under the state’s development/education framework.
- Samagra Siksha, Asom | Year: 2018 | Allocation to be notified | Key Details: Integrated school-education programme covering access, quality, equity and teacher support.
47. Science, Technology & Climate Change – Total Budget: 97 Crore
- Climate Resilient Village Fellowship Programme | Year: 2022 | Allocation: 0.44 crore | Key Details: Builds local capacity and research/innovation around climate-resilient village development.
48. Transformation & Development – Total Budget: 370 Crore
- Axom Adarxo Gram Yojana | Year: 2018–19 | Allocation: 125 crore (released previously) | Key Details: Develops model villages through integrated basic infrastructure and public services.
- MLA Area Development Programme | Allocation: 189 crore | Key Details: Funds local development works selected within legislative-assembly constituencies.
- Special Development Programme at Majuli | Allocation: 5.39 crore | Key Details: Funds special development interventions in Majuli.
49. Welfare of Bodoland – Total Budget: 4,028 Crore
50. Welfare of Minorities & Development – Total Budget: 78 Crore
- Assam Minorities Development Board | Allocation: 9.82 crore | Key Details: Supports development and welfare interventions for minority communities.
51. Cultural Affairs – Total Budget: 239 Crore
- Assistance to Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra | Allocation: 6.19 crore | Key Details: Supports the state’s major cultural institution and its cultural activities/infrastructure.
52. Indigenous & Tribal Faith and Culture – Total Budget: 51 Crore
- Mukhya Mantri Sangrahalaya | Allocation : 0.33 crore | Year: 2025-26 | Key Details: Supports museum development and preservation/presentation of heritage.
- Directorate of Indigenous & Tribal Faith and Culture | Allocation: 14.44 crore | Key Details: Supports institutional preservation and promotion of indigenous and tribal faiths/cultures.
- Directorate of Archaeology | Allocation: 5.22 crore | Key Details: Supports archaeological conservation, documentation and heritage management.
53. Soil Conservation – Total Budget: 152 Crore
- PMKSY – Wetland Development Projects | Year: 2015 | Allocation: 51 crore | Key Details: Supports water-resource and watershed-related development under PMKSY.
- Protection of Riverine Land | Allocation: 1.13 crore | Key Details: Supports soil and land conservation along riverine areas.
- Gully Control Works | Allocation: 0.44 crore | Key Details: Controls soil erosion caused by gullies through conservation works.
54. Public Works (Building & NH) Department – Total Budget: 2,416 Crore
- Government Buildings/Works | Allocation: 54.44 crore | Key Details: Funds construction, maintenance and improvement of government buildings and works.
- Siu-Ka-Pha Samannaya Kshetra | Allocation: 0.16 crore | Key Details: Supports development of a heritage/cultural infrastructure project associated with Siu-Ka-Pha.
55. Sports and Youth Welfare – Total Budget: 202 Crore
- Khel Maharan 3.0 | Year: 2024 (Khel Maharan) | Key Details: Mass sports initiative that identifies and nurtures sporting talent through grassroots competitions.
56. Election – Total Budget: 326 Crore
57. Horticulture – Total Budget: 345 Crore
- Horticulture Mission for North East & Himalayan States (HMNEH) | Year: 2001–02 | Allocation: 52.40 crore | Key Details: Supports integrated horticulture development from production through post-harvest management.
- Development of Orchid Farm at Kaziranga | Allocation: 8.54 crore | Key Details: Develops orchid cultivation/farm infrastructure at Kaziranga.
- PMKSY / Per Drop More Crop | Year: 2015 | Allocation: 57.39 crore | Key Details: Promotes efficient irrigation through micro-irrigation and improved on-farm water use.
- Mission Organic Value Chain Development for NE Region | Year: 2015 | Allocation: 14.81 crore | Key Details: Builds organic farming value chains from production and aggregation to processing and markets.
58. Secretariat – Total Budget: 718 Crore
Performance:
In education, Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni and Nijut Babu Asoni have together disbursed ₹374 crore to 5,44,479 students since inception for scholarship, and around 5.31 lakh students are tentatively expected to benefit in 2026-27. The significance lies in using cash assistance not merely as welfare but as an incentive for continuation in higher education. Reports cite Assam has achieved zero school dropout rate among girls across undergraduate and postgraduate levels. (India Today, 2025)
The broader education system has also expanded physically. Assam has completed 14 new polytechnics, modernised 55 ITIs and polytechnics, completed 21 Model Residential Schools and established 75 Model Tea Garden Schools under the PM – DeVINE and NESIDS-OTRI schemes. Meanwhile, PM-POSHAN covers approximately 37.47 lakh children in 43,785 schools, and 4.60 lakh children in tea-garden and riverine areas receive two additional eggs per week (Assam Budget Speech, 2026). The state has gone beyond mere compliance and offers best practices like the Lemon Revolution, Sabka Prayas- Sampriti Bhojan, and development of school nutrition gardens.
Employment policy similarly combines government recruitment with entrepreneurship. Under the Personnel Department, the budget speech reports completing more than 1.64 lakh public recruitments over the previous five years and now targets two lakh additional opportunities across the wider public-sector ecosystem under the flagship Nijuktir Natun Diganta Scheme. Under the Chief Minister’s Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan (CMAAA), nearly one lakh beneficiaries have been supported: 12,976 received ₹1 lakh interest-free loans for business expansion under CMAAA 1.0, while 75,000 received the first ₹75,000 instalment under CMAAA 2.0. Another 50,000 youth are to be selected in 2026-27, backed by a ₹500 crore allocation, and the government aims to empower 10 lakh young entrepreneurs, boosting the state’s investment capacity.
The 2026 Budget shows a similar movement in the agriculture sector from income support towards productivity and value chains. More than 8 lakh tonnes of paddy were procured in 2025-26, while around 25,000 dairy farmers receive the ₹5-per-litre Gap Support; organised milk procurement consequently increased from 97,554 litres per day to 1,43,035 litres per day- a 47% rise. Under Mukhya Mantri Utkarsh Yojana, 254 FPOs/FPCs received ₹12 lakh each in 2025 – 26, with another 100 organisations targeted this year.
However, Assam’s Agriculture minister Pijush Hazarika on June 25, 2026 highlighted that increase in agricultural income is central to the rapid development of the state, and stressed on the need for greater focus on research, and coordination in the sector. To bring technology to the farmers, PM Kisan Samridhi Kendra is to be set up in Gram Panchayats, whereas, to strengthen farm to fork linkage, the government has announced the Asom Krishi Unnayan Abhijan to modernise agricultural markets.
The physical irrigation base has also expanded: completed projects have created 1,72,190 hectares of irrigation potential across Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Tamulpur and Udalguri, along with setting up of 34 Solar Powered Mobile Lift Irrigation Schemes. The new Jalasinchan aru Krishir Samannay programme proposes ₹3,000 – 4,000 crore of irrigation investment over five years, increasingly using pressurised piped networks instead of conventional open channels (Assam Budget Speech, 2026).
Emerging Issues
- Building resilience against recurrent floods remains an important challenge for Assam. Despite the state’s vulnerability to flooding, expenditure on flood control has been nominal. Similarly, actual expenditure on the sector in 2024-25 was also Rs. 3,033 crore, 21% below the budgeted Rs. 3,859 crore (PRS Legislative Budget Analysis, 2026) While investments in social welfare and service delivery are important to the holistic development, greater emphasis on flood mitigation is equally necessary to protect livelihoods, life, and infrastructure.
- Maintaining fiscal discipline while meeting growing expenditure commitments will remain difficult. Although Assam has targeted a fiscal deficit of 3% of GSDP in 2026- 27, the revised fiscal deficit for 2025 – 26 is estimated at 6.7% of GSDP, substantially higher than the budgeted 3.7%. At the same time, committed expenditure on salaries, pensions and interest payments is estimated at ₹75,019 crore in 2026–27, equivalent to 63% of the state’s estimated revenue receipts. A high share of such relatively inflexible expenditure can reduce the state’s room to respond to new development priorities and invest in long-term asset creation.
- The budget also raises a question about balancing infrastructure led growth with investment in agriculture and rural development. Accounting for 35% of GSDP, the agriculture sector forms the backbone of the state’s economy. However, the state has allocated only 3.7% of its expenditure in 2026-27 to agriculture, much below the average 5.7 across all states. At the same time, Assam has allocated a relatively high share of expenditure, about 7.5% to roads and bridges, much above the state’s average (PRS Legislative Budget Analysis, 2026). This highlights the need to ensure adequate investment in farm productivity, rural livelihoods and agricultural value chains while also maintaining and furthering the state’s infrastructure.
- Similarly, the scale of the infrastructure pipeline makes the execution capacity an important consideration. The 2026 – 27 budget proposes Rs. 72,753 crore across six power infrastructure projects, 15000 circuit kilometers of transmission and distribution lines, and other significant investments in power and urban infrastructure. However, the capital outlay for the year is budgeted at Rs. 29,451 crore, 23% lower than Rs. 38,459 crore revised estimate for 2025 – 26. Given the scale and multiyear nature of the projects, ensuring timely clearance, land acquisition, financing and coordination will be critical to converting these announcements into finished infrastructure assets.
Conclusion
The Assam Budget 2026-27 is best understood as an attempt to construct a triple layer development model – a welfare floor through Orunodoi and other DBTs, a human-capital ladder through education, healthcare, skills and entrepreneurship, and a productive-growth engine based on connectivity, energy, agriculture, manufacturing and investment.
However, Assam must convert budget allocations into assets, investment commitments into operational enterprises, welfare transfers into human development and economic growth into durable employment and higher household incomes. Its semiconductor push can contribute to India’s technological self-reliance, improved transport can strengthen the Northeast’s integration with national and Asian markets, energy investment can support regional industrialisation, and value addition in tea, muga silk and high-value agriculture can deepen India’s export basket.
Taken together, these measures seek to reposition Assam from a predominantly welfare and public investment driven economy into a more connected, industrial, and investment oriented growth centre of eastern India.
References :
- Government Of Assam (2026). Assam Budget Speech 2026-27. https://finance.assam.gov.in/portlets/assam-budget-2026-27
- Government Of Assam (2026). Assam Budget Highlights 2026-27. https://finance.assam.gov.in/portlets/assam-budget-2026-27
- Assam Budget Analysis 2026-27. PRS Legislative Research. https://prsindia.org/budgets/states/assam-budget-analysis-2026-27
- Assam Budget Analysis 2025-26. PRS Legislative Research. https://prsindia.org/budgets/states/assam-budget-analysis-2025-26
- Karnavi Shende (2026, August 18). ORUNODOI SCHEME IN ASSAM (2020): WOMEN-CENTRED WELFARE AND THE CHALLENGE OF LAST-MILE DELIVERY. IMPRI. https://www.impriindia.com/insights/policy-update/orunodoi-scheme-in-assam-2020-women-centred-welfare-and-the-challenge-of-last-mile-delivery/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
- Desk, I. T. E. (2025, October 28). Zero school dropout rate among girls achieved in Assam. India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/assam-achieves-zero-school-dropout-rate-among-girls-says-cm-himanta-biswa-sarma-2809356-2025-10-28
- Government Of Assam (2026). Assam Outcome Budget 2026-27.
About the Contributor:
Gargi Bisht is a history postgraduate from Miranda House, specializing in medieval history. Her interest lies at the intersection of history, research, and public policy, exploring issues related to governance, society, development, and international relations.
Acknowledgement :
The author would like to express sincere gratitude to the IMPRI team for providing this valuable opportunity along with the reviewers Shruti Chandra and Ambika Sharma for their valuable feedback.
Disclaimer:
All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organisation.
