In Gujarat, the state Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai presented the State budget for the year 2025-26 with an outlay of 3 lakh 70 thousand 250 crore rupees in the Assembly today. To achieve the vision of a Developed Gujarat by 2047, the Finance Minister announced the establishment of the Viksit Gujarat Fund of 50 thousand crore for the coming 5 years.
Addressing the media, Mr. Desai said that, on the lines of the Surat Economic Region (SER), the Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Kutch, and Saurashtra regions will be developed to achieve the economic development of the state. The state government also announced the construction of 12 new High-Speed Corridors totalling 1367 kilometres under the Garvi Gujarat High-Speed Corridor. The budget also mentioned the creation of two Greenfield expressways and the Namo Shakti Expressway connecting Banaskantha in North Gujarat to Pipavav in Saurashtra.
The Somnath-Dwaraka Expressway will connect Ahmedabad and Rajkot with an extension to the pilgrimage centers Dwaraka and Somnath. Our correspondent reports that, along with the development of GYAN, Garib, Yuva, Annadata, and Nari Shakti, the budget also emphasized the development of tribals and fishermen.
The state government has increased the per-head assistance under various housing schemes by 50 thousand rupees making it to 1 lakh 70thousand. The minister also announced to increase in the allocation for the holistic development of tribals by 37 per cent. The minister also announced a new Sakhi Sahas scheme for women with an outlay of 100 crores. Working Women hostels will be set up in five major cities of the state to facilitate women working in cities.
The state government has announced a package of Rs. 1 thousand 622 crores to support the fishermen of the state. AI labs will be set up in Ahmedabad and six other government technical institutions. For start-ups, I hubs have been planned in four regions of the state. Along with this, the government has also announced setting up world-class sports facilities in Ahmedabadand and Karai.
