Gujarat Announces 2026-27 Budget, Holds Taxes

- The budget's total expenditure is an increase of ₹37,803 crore, or 10.2%, over the previous year. - A significant 65% of the total expenditure is allocated for developmental spending, with capital expenditure for infrastructure increasing by 17.5% to ₹1.57 lakh crore. - The financial plan is structured around five pillars: social security, human resource development, infrastructure, economic development, and green growth, with a focus on the "GYAN" model, benefiting the poor (Garib), youth (Yuva), farmers (Annadata), and women (Nari). - In a major push for sports, ₹1,278 crore has been allocated to develop Ahmedabad as an "Olympic-ready city" in preparation for hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games and a potential 2036 Olympic bid. - The year 2026 has been declared "Gujarat Tourism Year," with over ₹6,700 crore allocated for tourism, pilgrimage sites, and civil aviation, including a "Wed in Gujarat" campaign to promote the state as a wedding destination. - For urban development, ₹16,116 crore is allocated under the Swarnim Jayanti Mukhyamantri Shaheri Vikas Yojana, which includes metro expansion in Ahmedabad and Surat and the development of satellite towns. - The budget projects a revenue surplus of ₹25,587 crore and keeps the fiscal deficit at an estimated 1.97% of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is well within the 3% target set by the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act. - Over ₹850 crore is allocated for artificial intelligence and digital governance initiatives, including the creation of a Data Fusion Centre and a Centre of Excellence for AI in policing.