Union Budget 2026–27 Boosts Buddhist Tourism in NE
The Union Budget 2026–27, presented in Parliament, includes tourism, infrastructure, and region-linked development measures for Northeastern states, reflecting continuity with national growth priorities.
NEW DELHI- The Government of India on Sunday tabled the Union Budget 2026–27 in Parliament, outlining fiscal priorities for the upcoming financial year and including a set of measures relevant to the North Eastern region, a strategic focus area placed alongside infrastructure, tourism, and economic growth objectives.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget, which projected enhanced public capital expenditure and sustained development outlays across sectors. The budget proposes increased public capital expenditure of around ₹12.2 lakh crore to energise economic activity and infrastructure build-up nationwide.
One of the key initiatives with direct relevance to the North East is the announcement of a dedicated Buddhist Circuit scheme covering six Northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura — aimed at developing Buddhist pilgrimage sites, preserving temples and monasteries, and boosting religious tourism across the region. Officials said this move is designed to integrate cultural tourism with broader infrastructure development to stimulate local economies and heritage-linked travel routes.
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According to budget documents, the Buddhist Circuit initiative is expected to support infrastructure creation around historic and religious sites, potentially attracting private and public investment, generating employment, and strengthening connectivity within and beyond the region’s borders.
While the Budget does not announce separate large-scale fiscal outlays exclusively earmarked for the North Eastern states, the continuation of national schemes such as capital expenditure on infrastructure, tourism, road and rail connectivity, and broader economic initiatives is projected to benefit the region.
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Analysts noted that sustained funding under central schemes — including those for infrastructure and tourism development — would support ongoing projects in the region, such as road expansions, aviation connectivity, and regional rail networks that are expected to tie Northeastern capitals more closely to the national transport grid in coming years.
Budget documents also indicate that overall development funding under central allocations includes resources flowing to the North East through mission programmes and centrally sponsored schemes, which encompass social and economic priorities like rural employment, water supply and livelihood support.
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The Buddhist Circuit scheme came amid the government’s continued thrust on leveraging cultural assets and experiential tourism as tools for regional economic integration, particularly for remote and border areas where tourism infrastructure has lagged compared with the rest of the country.
Observers said that while the Union Budget 2026–27 reiterates support for growth and development broadly, the region’s unique needs — in areas such as digital infrastructure scaling, industry-specific tax incentives and tailored fiscal instruments — remain points of discussion among policymakers as implementation of existing commitments continues.
