Guwahati, February 17 Presenting a Rs 62,294.78 crore interim budget for the 2026-27 fiscal ahead of the assembly elections, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog on Tuesday said major flagship schemes providing direct cash benefits will continue in the years to come.
Presenting her last budget before the state goes to polls, Neog said that Assam is, at present, the fastest-growing state in India according to RBI data.
"I seek a vote on account for the demands for grants for the initial months of the 2026-27 financial year, amounting to Rs 62,29,478.30 lakh, to enable the government to continue its normal services pending the full budget," she said.
Neog said that the flagship 'Nijut Moina' scheme has resulted in an 8.2 per cent reduction in dropout among girl students between 2023-24 and 2024-25, and an increase in gross enrollment ratio for girls by 4.2 per cent at the secondary level and 7.5 per cent at the senior secondary level.
"This significant success has already established a clear and powerful mandate for the expansion of Nijut Moina and Nijut Babu schemes in the years to come," she added.
Through 'Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Moina Asoni', the government has committed about Rs 260 crore towards monthly financial assistance in the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,500, supporting over 5.5 lakh girl students, the finance minister said.
"Similarly, under Mukhya Mantrir Nijut Babu Scheme, monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000-Rs 2,000 will be provided to 47,428 boys from economically weaker families enrolled in the first year of undergraduate and postgraduate courses," she added.
The Assam Assembly elections for 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April this year.
On Assam's poverty alleviation scheme 'Orunodoi', Neog said the programme is the BJP government's "promise in action".
"We have expanded its coverage from 19 lakh families during the launch in 2021 to nearly 40 lakh today, including Divyangjan, transgender persons, and other vulnerable groups, making it the largest social assistance programme in the history of Assam," she added.
Neog said the government's resolve to empower 'Orunodoi' families will continue with enhanced assistance, and the convergence of it with major welfare programmes such as NFSA, PMAY-Gramin, PMAY-Urban and insurance schemes like PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PJJBY) and Atal Pension Yojana (APY).
"Under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan, we have empowered over 30.63 lakh eligible women by providing Rs 10,000 as seed capital per SHG member. Today, I am proud to present that 8.80 lakh Lakhpati Baideo are the engines driving our rural economy," she added.
In her 33-page budget speech, Neog said Assam is poised to become a Rs 10 lakh crore economy by 2028, ahead of the state's own 2030 target for the same.
"At constant prices, the state's Gross State Domestic Product expanded by 45 per cent between FY 2019-20 and FY 2024-25, significantly outperforming the national growth average of 29 per cent," she added.
The finance minister said Assam's per capita income has more than doubled in five years to Rs 1,85,429 in 2025-26 from Rs 86,947 in 2020-21, representing a jump of 113 per cent.
