Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday described the Union Budget 2026–27 as historic and unprecedented, stating that it lays a strong and durable foundation for a developed and self-reliant India under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He said the Budget reflects a clear national resolve to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047 through focused investments in villages, farmers, youth, women and the poor.
Shri Chouhan noted that the Union Budget has been presented for the twelfth time under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and highlighted that Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman has become the first woman Finance Minister to present the Union Budget for the ninth consecutive time, calling it a moment of pride for the nation and a symbol of continuity and reform-driven governance.
Calling the Budget a dynamic roadmap for a developed India, Shri Chouhan said it represents a decisive shift towards social prosperity and inclusive growth. He said the Budget is inspired by the Prime Minister’s foresight and is designed to bring transformative change in the lives of farmers, youth, women and the poor, whom he described as the four pillars of national progress.
The Union Minister emphasised that the Budget has been framed with villages, the poor, farmers, youth and women at its core. He said sustained implementation of welfare and development schemes has already led to a steady decline in poverty and that the current Budget further strengthens the pathway for making the poor self-reliant and economically empowered.
Highlighting women-led development, Shri Chouhan said the Budget takes forward the success of the Lakhpati Didi initiative by introducing SHE-Mart, a new platform aimed at supporting self-help entrepreneurs. Under the initiative, community-owned retail outlets will be established in every district to market products made by women. He said this will provide self-help groups and rural women access to wider markets and enable women engaged in animal husbandry, agriculture-related activities and other livelihoods to transition from subsistence to entrepreneurship.
Shri Chouhan underscored the notable 21 per cent increase in the budget allocation for the Ministry of Rural Development. He said that when viewed together, the combined budget of the Rural Development and Agriculture ministries has now crossed ₹4,35,779 crore, reflecting the government’s sustained commitment to strengthening rural India and improving farm incomes.
Within the Rural Development budget, he said provisions exceeding ₹1.51 lakh crore, including the contribution of states, have been made for the Viksit Bharat Gram G scheme alone. Referring to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act programme, he said the Centre’s allocation has been increased to more than ₹95,692 crore. With the addition of states’ contributions, the total allocation will exceed ₹1.51 lakh crore, which he described as historic and unprecedented in scale.
The Union Minister also highlighted a major step towards empowering grassroots institutions, stating that under the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission, more than ₹55,900 crore will be transferred directly to panchayats. He said that while panchayats had received around ₹2.36 lakh crore directly over the previous five years, this amount has now increased to about ₹4.35 lakh crore, nearly doubling the direct financial support to local self-governments.
He expressed confidence that the combination of ₹1.51 lakh crore under the Viksit Bharat Gram G scheme and ₹55,900 crore through Finance Commission transfers will play a transformative role in building developed, self-reliant, employment-oriented and poverty-free villages across the country.
Turning to agriculture, Shri Chouhan said the agriculture budget has been increased to ₹1,32,561 crore in 2026–27, with a strong focus on research, innovation and productivity. He said ₹9,967 crore has been allocated for agricultural education and research, particularly for the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, to strengthen scientific support for farmers and improve crop resilience and yields.
On fertilisers, the Union Minister said a subsidy of more than ₹1.70 lakh crore has been provided to ensure the availability of affordable fertilisers and reduce farmers’ input costs. He said this will help stabilise production expenses and provide direct relief to cultivators.
Shri Chouhan said the Budget also delivers direct benefits to farmers through targeted sectoral initiatives. Under the National Fibre Scheme, emphasis has been placed on fibres such as silk, wool and jute, which will benefit farmers associated with these sectors. He added that provisions for certification and export of medicinal plants under the Ministry of AYUSH will support farmers cultivating medicinal crops and help enhance their incomes.
He further said that alongside traditional crops, the Budget has made clear provisions for high-value crops such as coconut, cocoa, cashew and sandalwood. Measures have been announced for rejuvenation of old coconut plantations and establishment of new orchards. Separate provisions have also been made to increase fruit and vegetable production and improve their movement to markets, ensuring better prices for farmers and easier access for consumers.
Summing up, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Union Budget 2026–27 is people-centric, welfare-oriented and capacity-enhancing, and will accelerate India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by empowering villages, strengthening agriculture and ensuring inclusive growth.
