Gandhinagar, February 18 – The Gujarat government presented its state budget for the financial year 2026-27 on Wednesday, allocating a total of ₹4.08 lakh crore, the largest in the state's history.
The budget was presented in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly by State Finance Minister Kanu Desai, marking his fifth consecutive annual budget presentation.
In his address, Desai stated that the budget is based on five pillars – social security, human resource development, intra-infrastructure facilities, economic development, and green growth – highlighting the government's effort to create a comprehensive plan for the year.
"Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government has adopted a comprehensive and inclusive approach. I present before this esteemed House the record-breaking budget of ₹4,08,053 crore," he stated.
The Budget Session began on Monday and is scheduled to continue until March 25, with the budget debate and subsequent discussions taking up a significant portion of the sittings.
Speaker Shankar Chaudhary confirmed that the session would include 26 sittings during this period.
According to official Assembly records, the size of the budget has steadily increased over recent years. In 2022-23, the state's budget stood at ₹2,43,965 crore, increasing to ₹3,01,021 crore for 2023-24, ₹3,32,465 crore in 2024-25, and ₹3,70,250 crore in 2025-26.
This year's budget reflects sustained expansion in fiscal plans. Last year's budget emphasized a range of development initiatives, including a ₹50,000 crore 'Viksit Gujarat Fund' over five years, with ₹5,000 crore allocated in 2025-26, along with substantial allocations for agriculture, urban housing, and water resources, among other sectors.
Governor Acharya Devvrat, in his address to the Assembly at the start of the Budget Session, noted that the state had disbursed ₹9,610 crore in crop damage compensation to over 33 lakh farmers affected by unseasonal rains, while highlighting technology-driven administrative reforms and natural farming practices.
The budget will now be examined and debated by members over the coming weeks.