CHANDIGARH: On International Women’s Day, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented a landmark budget of ₹2,36,080 crore for the fiscal year 2025-26 in the state assembly. This historic presentation underscores the government’s commitment to women’s empowerment and the vision of a ‘Changing Punjab’.
The budget places significant emphasis on key sectors including health, education, rural development, industry, agriculture, sports, and social welfare. Cheema highlighted the resilience of Punjab’s economy, projecting a Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of ₹28,91,487 crore for 2025-26, with an anticipated growth to ₹9,80,635 crore in 2026-27 at a robust 10% rate, fueled by enhanced agricultural productivity, expanding services, and industrial momentum.
For 2026-27, total budget expenditure is set at ₹12,60,437 crore, with an effective revenue deficit of 2.06% of GSDP and fiscal deficit at 4.08%. These figures reflect prudent fiscal management alongside sustained economic growth and public welfare.
A flagship announcement is the ‘Mukhyamantri Matayen-Betiyan Satkar Yojana’, providing ₹1,000 monthly to all women and ₹1,500 to Scheduled Caste women, directly transferred to their bank accounts.
Education reforms take center stage, with ₹19,279 crore allocated for 2026-27, a 7% increase. Over 20,000 government schools now boast boundary walls in 99% cases, new toilets, desks ensuring no child sits on the floor, daily cleaning by 8,286 staff, security by 3,000+ personnel, and 1,798 campus managers. Additionally, 6,200 new classrooms built and 4,700 renovated, with ₹690 crore for further infrastructure, including a massive whitewashing and beautification drive.
To combat drugs, 5,000 homeguard jawans will be deployed in border areas, anti-drone systems installed with ₹110 crore, and a ‘Drug Census’ survey with ₹150 crore to study narcotics spread.
Emergency services ‘112’ get a boost with 758 four-wheelers and 916 two-wheelers, aiming to cut response time from 30 to 8 minutes (₹125 crore), plus a new Mohali headquarters (₹53 crore).
Sports initiative ‘Khedda Punjab, Badalda Punjab’ will build village playgrounds and 3,000 indoor gyms, backed by ₹979 crore for sports.
Health sees ₹5,598 crore, including ₹778 crore for up to ₹10 lakh annual cashless treatment per family. Rural development gets ₹2,873 crore, urban services ₹225 crore with 347 e-buses. Free 300 units electricity monthly continues (₹7,614 crore). Agriculture ₹14,524 crore, social justice ₹9,340 crore, and ₹250 crore for new industrial policy.