Piece on culture – for general paper

Union Budget 2026 has a strong focus on culture, religion, and heritage. This links with the politics and ideology of the ruling regime, and sends a strong message to its core supporters. These include measures related to religious and historical tourism, ecosystems for traditional wellness knowledge in areas like ayurveda and yoga, apart from a direct attention on artisans and weavers.

To facilitate and increase tourist inflows, both Indians and foreigners, to “20 iconic sites,” the Budget envisages a pilot scheme to up-skill 10,000 guides. This will be done through a “standardised, high-quality, 12-week training course in a hybrid mode” for potential candidates. The idea is to allow better experiences for the visitors.

In addition, the Government wishes to “develop 15 archeological sites, including Lothal, Dholavira, Rakhigarhi, Adichanallur, Sarnath, Hastinapur, and Leh Palace into vibrant, experiential cultural destinations.” This will further enhance the flow of tourists.

At the specific sites, there are plans to open the “excavated landscapes” to the public through curated walkways. Immersive storytelling skills and technologies will be introduced to help conservation labs, interpretation centres, and guides.” The moves are not restricted to Hindu, or Indian locations. Buddhist sites in North-East India will be an additional focus.