| Staff REPORTER |
Itanagar, Mar 10: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister-in-Charge of Finance Chowna Mein on Tuesday presented a Rs 701.43 crore deficit Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, outlining a roadmap for people-centric and future-ready development.
The Budget, with a total outlay of Rs 36,607 crore, prioritises investments in healthcare, education, infrastructure and livelihood generation, while also focusing on entrepreneurship, governance reforms and fiscal stability.
Presenting the budget, Mein said the government aims to ensure inclusive and sustainable development for all 16 lakh people of the state through targeted interventions and improved governance.
He said the Budget Estimate (BE) for FY 2026–27 stands at Rs 36,607 crore, compared to Rs 39,842 crore in FY 2025–26, reflecting a reduction of about 8.1 percent.
“In the BE 2026–27, revenue receipts are projected at Rs 30,733 crore and capital receipts at Rs 5,873 crore, aggregating to total receipts of Rs 36,607 crore,” Mein said, adding that the share of Central taxes is estimated at Rs 20,665 crore.
The government has projected State’s Own Tax Revenue at Rs 3,634 crore and Non-Tax Revenue at Rs 1,575 crore. Accordingly, the total State’s Own Revenue is estimated at Rs 5,208 crore in FY 2026–27, reflecting a 13.04 percent growth over BE 2025-26.
Mein said the budget emphasises quality and outcome-driven expenditure, prioritising productive spending that creates long-term value. He informed the House that over 91 percent of the announcements made in the previous budget are already in advanced stages of implementation.
Mein said the 2026-27 budget is structured around six major focus areas: Strengthening Foundations of Our Future – Rs 2,038 crore; People-Centric Development – Rs 3,320 crore; Sustaining Economic Growth – Rs 630 crore; Entrepreneurship and Employment – Rs 307 crore; Resource Mobilisation and Fiscal Stability; and Governance and Reforms – Rs 727 crore.
Under infrastructure development, the government has allocated Rs 500 crore for the Chief Minister’s State Rural Roads Programme. Construction of the Naharlagun–Hollongi Airport Road worth Rs 84 crore is underway.
Plans are also in place for a Rs 90-crore Aerocity near Donyi Polo Airport and a convention centre with a 100–150 room hotel at Hollongi under PPP mode. The government has also proposed a feasibility study for a monorail or ropeway system in the Twin Capital Region.
In the power sector, major projects including the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, Dibang Multipurpose Project, and Etalin Hydropower Project will be advanced. The state also plans to expand transmission infrastructure with 2,000 km of 132 kV lines and 2,000 km of 33 kV lines by March 2027.
The budget proposes new operation theatres, including cardiovascular OTs, at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) and construction of District Hospitals at Tato (Shi Yomi) and Nafra (Bichom), along with Emergency and Trauma Care Centres in all District Hospitals in phases.
In education, Rs 500 crore has been earmarked under the Golden Jubilee School Programme to upgrade select schools. The government will also introduce a State Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy and local-language textbooks for Classes I to VIII.
To strengthen women’s empowerment, the government plans to establish working women’s hostels in 26 districts with an outlay of Rs 188 crore, while SHE-Marts will support women-owned enterprises.
A free HPV vaccination programme for about 19,000 girls aged 14 is underway, and girls’ hostels will be built in every district with support from the Government of India. Youth initiatives include a Rs 10 crore Chief Minister’s School Sports Programme, expected to engage over 7,000 students, while the Arunachal State Games will now be held annually.
To boost rural livelihoods, the government plans to expand oil palm cultivation to over 36,000 hectares by 2027 under the National Mission on Edible Oils. The budget also proposes expansion of Kiwi and Mushroom Missions, promotion of mithun and yak rearing, and strengthening dairy supply chains under CM White Revolution 2.0.
Tourism initiatives include development of a World War II Heritage Museum, promotion of adventure tourism, and completion of the Siang Adventure and Eco Retreat at Pasighat by 2026–27.
Mein said the government will launch the ARUN MSME Mission to support enterprises and promote indigenous products through the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative. A Rs 200 crore allocation under Swavalamban Yojana will support over 2,500 beneficiaries for self-employment, while the Arunachal Pradesh Startup Manch will be introduced to boost the startup ecosystem.
To strengthen governance, the government plans to roll out e-HRMS in all departments, improve the e-Inner Line Permit (e-ILP) system, and allocate Rs 100 crore over four years for police infrastructure, including Rs 25 crore in 2026–27. The budget also provides Rs 8 crore for a new Forensic Science Laboratory and equipment.
Mein further announced that Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) will receive 10 percent of the State’s Own Tax Revenue (Rs 280 crore), while the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) will be implemented in saturation mode.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the budget also aims to improve state revenues by strengthening GST compliance, digitising tax systems and restructuring the tax department. Mein added that the budget seeks to ensure every section of society benefits through improved health, education, connectivity, livelihoods and governance, laying the foundation for sustainable and inclusive growth in Arunachal Pradesh.