Union Budget 2026–27: Rail Corridors, Mineral Parks, Healthcare & Education Push
New Delhi, Feb 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Union Budget 2026–27 with a strong emphasis on infrastructure expansion, industrial corridors, and rare mineral independence.
The budget also highlighted education, healthcare, and regional development, particularly in election-bound states.
Key announcements include the establishment of dedicated mineral parks in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh, alongside rare earth mineral corridors in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh to reduce India’s reliance on China.
On the infrastructure front, the government proposed a new rail corridor from Varanasi to Siliguri and seven high-speed rail corridors connecting Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities with major hubs such as Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Varanasi.
Special projects were earmarked for West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Kerala, with West Bengal gaining a new freight corridor from Dankuni to Surat and Siliguri’s inclusion in the high-speed rail network.
The budget also boosted allocations for electronics manufacturing, raising funds from Rs 22,999 crore to Rs 40,000 crore, while announcing new chemical parks and industrial connectivity projects.
Healthcare and education received attention with plans for five new medical hubs, three All-India Ayurveda institutes, and an All-India Design Institute in Eastern India.
Women’s hostels in every district were also announced to encourage female participation in higher education.
Sitharaman’s choice of attire—a Kanchivaram silk saree—symbolically honoured Tamil Nadu’s weaving heritage, underscoring the cultural dimension of the budget presentation.
