Assam Budget 2025-26: Finance Minister Ajanta Neog Presents Rs 2.63 Lakh Cr Budget with Focus on Education, Youth and Employment

The focus of Assam Budget 2025-26 is on education, employment, women, youth, entrepreneurship, farmers, and weaker sections, skill development, and financial support.

Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog today presented a Rs 2.63 lakh crore budget for the 2025-26 financial year with a deficit of Rs 620.27 crore.

The Assam Budget 2025-26 has prioritised Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, reaffirming the state’s commitment to its heritage. The focus of Assam Budget 2025-26 is on education, employment, women, youth, entrepreneurship, farmers, and weaker sections, skill development, and financial support. Key initiatives include better crop prices, affordable electricity, and expanded NFSA ration coverage.

Assam’s economy is currently growing at 13% and is expected to continue its high growth rate in the 2025-26 financial year.

Key Flagship Schemes for 2025-26

Orunodoi 3.0: The Assam government has expanded its flagship cash transfer scheme, increasing coverage from 24 lakh to 37.2 lakh beneficiaries in 2025-26.

Under Orunodoi 3.0, eligible women will receive Rs 1,250 per month to support health, nutrition, and essential needs. A total of Rs 5,000 crore has been allocated for the scheme.

Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina: Aimed at girls’ education and empowerment, this scheme provides monthly financial aid of Rs 1,000–2,500 to students from Class 11 to postgraduate levels. In this financial year, the coverage will be expanded from 1.8 lakh to 4.3 lakh girls, including those in self-financed courses at government institutions. The government has allocated Rs 391 crore for 2025-26, ensuring timely Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to beneficiaries.

Chief Minister’s Jibon Prerana: The state government will launch Chief Minister’s Jibon Prerana scheme in October 2025 to support fresh graduates as they transition from education to employment. This initiative focuses on helping youth prepare for competitive exams, interviews, and entrepreneurial ventures.

Under this scheme, graduates from government universities and colleges in Assam (passing out in 2025) will receive Rs 2,500 per month for up to one year or can opt for a one-time financial assistance of Rs 25,000.

Additionally, research scholars from state and central government universities will receive a Rs 25,000 grant, while specially-abled research scholars will get Rs 50,000. Rs 25 crore has been allocated for the scheme. Notably, only permanent residents of Assam are eligible, excluding beneficiaries of Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina.

Moreover, the government will provide a one-time financial assistance of Rs 5,000 to each of 6.8 lakh tea garden workers, covering both casual and permanent workers. A total of Rs 342 crore has been set aside for this welfare measure.

Starting October 2025, the Assam government will provide 1 kg of Masur Dal, Sugar, and Salt at subsidized rates to all NFSA ration card holders, with an additional 1 kg of Masur Dal for families with over five members. Rs 370 crore has been allocated for this initiative.

The Assam government will consider restoring the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for regular employees whose recruitment process began before February 1, 2005, recognizing their contribution to the state’s development.

Under the Ayushman Asom – Mukhya Mantri Lok Sevak Arogya Yojana (AA-MMLSAY), beneficiaries will get cashless medical treatment at CGHS rates in state government medical colleges, Assam Cancer Care centers, and B Barooah Cancer Institute. Coverage will also extend to regular PSU employees, muster roll, work-charged, and contractual employees up to 60 years of service.

Under the Vistarit Assam Darshan scheme, Rs 3 lakh will be given in two equal installments to 25,000 Namghars and other religious institutions to preserve heritage and upgrade infrastructure. The first installment will be released before March 31, 2025, and the second in FY 2025-26.

The Minister presenting the budget said that with a strong fiscal strategy, investments will drive infrastructure, industry, and resource generation, pushing Assam toward becoming one of India’s top 5 states and contributing to Viksit Bharat.

Major Infrastructure and Industrial Push:

Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog also announced a series of transformative infrastructure projects aimed at boosting the state’s development.

She said Dibrugarh will be developed as Assam’s second capital, with a new Assembly building and MLA hostel at a cost of Rs 200 crore.

Other major allocations include Rs 2,625 crore for the One District One Road project under Asom Mala, Rs 582 crore for a Medical College in Darrang, Rs 400 crore for Kanaklata University, and Rs 405 crore for a new High Court building at Rangmahal.

The budget also prioritises education and sports, with Rs 675 crore for the Nehru Stadium FIFA Centre, Rs 97 model schools, and the upgradation of 25 Bodo medium schools. Additionally, Rs 100 crore has been allocated for Multipurpose Cultural Complexes to preserve the heritage of various tribal and ethnic communities.

She said that Assam is witnessing an industrial transformation, with Tata Electronics investing Rs 27,000 crore, the largest private investment in 75 years, generating 27,000 jobs. A Rs 12,000 crore greenfield urea fertilizer plant in Namrup is also set to boost agricultural production and economic growth.

She said that the state has secured Rs 5.18 lakh crore in investment commitments, including Rs 1.24 lakh crore from the Government of India for infrastructure during the recently held Advantage Assam 2.0 – Investment and Infrastructure Summit 2025.

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