Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, on Monday presented a budget of Rs 2.05 lakh crore for the financial year 2025-26  which is 13.7 percent more than the last budget. In this year's budget, no new taxes have been imposed, providing relief to the citizens. This budget reflects the priorities and aspirations of every section of Haryana's population, he said.

In his maiden Budget address, the CM said that he received around 11,000 suggestions from various sections of the society regarding the state budget and claimed that out of the 217 manifesto promises, 19 have already been fulfilled.

He said that Haryana's per capita income has increased from Rs 1.47 lakh in 2014-15 and is estimated to reach Rs 3.53 lakh in 2024-25. In 2014-15, Haryana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was Rs 4.37 lakh crore, while the projected GDP for 2024-25 is Rs 12.13 lakh  crore.

Saini made various announcements in the budget, including earmarking Rs 5,000 crore for 'Lado Lakshmi Yojana' under which Rs 2,100 will be given to the state's women (no specific criteria mentioned). The government also proposed setting up an authority to tackle drug abuse. CM did not impose any fresh tax in the budget.

 The Haryana CM also announced setting up a new department named "Department of Future" to focus on exploring future technologies, and their potential benefits for the state.

Addressing the problem of 'donkey routes,' he said that his government is committed to solve this 'serious problem' and a Bill for this purpose will be brought in this session. "We will try to provide international employment to the youth through Haryana Overseas Employment Cell and Haryana Skill and Employment Corporation," he said.

The CM announced a slew of measures for the agrarian state to benefit its farming community. He announced that a horticulture policy will be brought to provide benefits of government schemes to farmer producer organisations (FPO) which have been registered as a cooperative society.

Under the budget, the subsidy amount under 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana' has been increased from Rs 7,000 per acre to Rs 8,000 per acre. With the aim to stop the trend of rapidly declining groundwater level, the scheme is designed to benefit farmers who give up paddy cultivation. He also proposed that women farmers engaged in dairy farming, horticulture, animal husbandry and fisheries will be given an interest-free loan of Rs 1 lakh. He said three new centres of excellence for litchi, strawberry and date palm will be set up in Ambala, Yamunanagar and Hisar respectively in 2025-26.

Saini also proposed building a new cow sanctuary in every district. Besides, he announced Rs 5 crore as grant to build 51 sheds in registered cow shelters.

 With the aim of bringing at least 36 Olympic medals, the government earmarked Rs 20 crore for the 'Mission Olympics 2036 Vijayibhavah' scheme and announced to bring a health insurance scheme for sportspersons, under which up to Rs 20 lakhs of medical coverage will be given to players. 500 new sports nurseries will also be established in the state. The government further increased the scholarship amount given to players in these nurseries.

The government will also launch a 'Khelo Haryana' mobile application. GIS mapping of all government sports stadium will be conducted. Olympic winners will be provided with a loan of up to Rs 5 crore to set up a sports academy in their home districts. The government also announced to increase the diet amount of players in residential academies from Rs 400 to Rs 500. He said new sports excellence centres will be opened in five universities of the state.

 The CM said that in the last 10 years, the Haryana government has laid great emphasis on e-governance and that his government has fulfilled 19 out of 217 promises of the poll manifesto. "In this direction, my proposal is to establish the Haryana AI (Artificial Intelligence) Mission, in which the World Bank has assured to provide assistance of Rs 474 crore," he said. This AI mission will establish hubs in Gurugram and Panchkula.
 

To promote startup culture, the Haryana government will encourage private investors to create a 'fund of funds' of Rs 2,000 crore. Further, 10 new industrial townships and MSME clusters will be set up to boost industries and employment. Focusing on social security for gig workers, the government will also launch a health insurance scheme for them.


Rs 5,000 Crore allocated for "Lado Laxmi Yojana" implementation

Talking to Reporters, Saini said that the State Government has made a provision of Rs 5,000 crore for the implementation of the "Lado Laxmi Yojana" in the financial year 2025-26.

The Chief Minister said that the current state government, in its Sankalp Patra during the elections, promised to provide financial assistance of Rs 2,100 per month to women under the 'Lado Laxmi Yojana. 'We have made all necessary preparations for its implementation, and work is underway to finalize the framework and criteria for this ambitious scheme. What we promised in our Sankalp Patra is the guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our objective is to ensure that every eligible poor woman receives the financial aid under this scheme,” he added.

Saini said that the government is committed to the empowerment of women in all sectors. “If required, we will increase the fund allocation for the scheme. The current government is making fruitful efforts for empowerment of women in all sectors. The government will build Mahila Chaupals in every village, with the first phase covering 774 villages. In addition, the Kishori Yojana will be rolled out in all districts with an additional cost of Rs 60 crore.”

In response to a question regarding the state's financial health, the Chief Minister clarified that opposition members used to allege that the state was drowning in debt. “ When we took over the reins of administration in 2014, the debt was significantly higher, but by 2024-25, it has been greatly reduced, demonstrating our success in managing and lowering the debt through efficient financial management. This budget will fulfil the aspirations and expectations of 2.8 crore people of Haryana. This budget reflects our unwavering commitment to the welfare and development of every section of society,” he added.

 
Haryana Budget full of empty rhetoric: Hooda

Reacting on the budget, former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the budget presented by the BJP government is full of empty rhetoric and acrobatics of figures.  He said the government has cut the budget of all the departments providing essential services including agriculture, irrigation, education, health, energy, transport, public health, cooperation and home. Not only this, he said, this budget is silent on all the issues like BJP's election promises, 2 lakh jobs, giving MSP to farmers, controlling inflation. Hooda said BJP had promised to give farmers a rate higher than MSP on crops like paddy and wheat before the elections. “BJP had promised a rate of ₹ 3100 on paddy crop. Neither did BJP keep this promise after forming the government nor did it make any such provision in this year's budget,” he said. “How BJP juggles with figures can be understood from its estimated and revised budget figures. The government deliberately exaggerates the estimated budget and later the revised budget is reduced. The actual budget is reduced even further. For example, last time BJP had presented an estimated budget of Rs 189,876 crores, which was later revised to Rs 180,313 crores, lower by almost Rs 10,000 crore,” he noted.

Highlights

--Haryana’s GSDP: Rs 12.13 lakh crore in 2024-25 (estimated)
--Per Capita Income: Rs 3.53 lakh in 2024-25 (estimated)
--Budget allocation of Higher Education Department increased from 9.90 percent to Rs 3874.09 crore
--Health Sector Budget increased from Rs. 9,391.87 crore, as compared to the RE of 2024-25, by 8.17%, raising it to Rs. 10,159.54 crore in 2025-26
--Allocation of Rs 4229.29 crore for the Agriculture, which is an increase of 19.2 percent
--Announces to introduce a Bill to combat illegal migration via 'Donkey Routes'
--Setting up Department of Future to make Haryana "future-ready”; Haryana AI Mission proposed; Rs 2,000 crore startup fund
--Announces to encourage private investors to create Rs 2,000 crore "Fund of Funds" to support startups
--An interest-free loan of up to Rs 1 lakh for women dairy farmers
--Under 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana', subsidy for giving up paddy cultivation to be hiked from Rs 7,000 per acre to Rs 8,000/acre
--Announces to launch 'Mission 2026 Olympics Medals' with Rs 20 crore allocation for preparation
--Setting up Model Sanskriti Schools in every 10 km
--Announces to introduce French language in state-run schools from Class III
--Setting up E-libraries in all model schools