Haryana Chief Minister Unveils Vision Budget Aiming for $1 Trillion Economy by 2047
In a significant announcement from Chandigarh, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini declared on Monday that the state is on a path to become a $1 trillion economy by 2047. Presenting the 2026-27 budget, Saini emphasized that this financial plan is not just a routine statement of income and expenditure but a comprehensive vision document dedicated to building a 'Viksit Haryana' or developed Haryana.
Budget as a Roadmap for Development
Saini detailed that the Haryana Vision Document-2047 will serve as a strategic roadmap to transform the state into a developed entity. He revealed that the document was crafted after extensive consultations with various stakeholders across Haryana. A total of 2,199 suggestions were gathered through state-wide meetings, and an additional 12,400 suggestions were received via an AI chatbot. Out of these, approximately 5,000 suggestions have been integrated into the budget proposals, making it what Saini described as "a people's budget, shaped by the citizens of Haryana."
Future-Oriented Initiatives and Key Focus Areas
The Chief Minister highlighted forward-looking initiatives, including the establishment of a department of future. For the financial year 2026-27, a provision of Rs 1,837.65 crore has been allocated under the foresight head for 21 proposals spanning four departments. Saini stressed that the government is formulating policies not only for the present but also with a long-term perspective for the future.
He outlined seven key areas of emphasis in the budget, covering aspects from budget management to expenditure details. The state government aims to position Haryana among India's leading states by 2047 in industrial development, modern infrastructure, employment generation, and social inclusion. Under the leadership of the double-engine government, Haryana is emerging as a national model of rapid development, transparent governance, and robust financial management, Saini asserted.
Opposition Parties Launch Scathing Criticism
In stark contrast, opposition parties have vehemently criticized the budget, labeling it as directionless and visionless. Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda from the Congress party called it a "totally directionless" and "meaningless" budget, accusing the government of presenting projections far from reality and concealing figures related to state debts and failures.
Congress MP Randeep Surjewala joined in the criticism, describing Saini's three-hour budget speech as full of "stories of hollow promises, with no trace of progress." He provided detailed figures to highlight the state's debt burden: From 1966-67 to 2014-15, over 48 years, the debt was Rs 70,925 crore. From 2015-16 to 2026-27, in just 12 years, the BJP government borrowed Rs 3,94,551 crore. This translates to an additional debt of Rs 3,23,626 crore, with a yearly average of Rs 26,968.83 crore and a daily debt of Rs 73.88 crore. Surjewala further noted that with 2.8 crore residents, every citizen in Haryana is under a debt of Rs 1,40,911.
Specific Concerns from Opposition Leaders
Haryana Congress chief Rao Narender Singh expressed disappointment over the lack of concrete provisions to address critical issues such as rising agricultural input costs, ensuring remunerative prices for crops, and expanding irrigation facilities. Farmers, who form the backbone of the state's economy, expected meaningful relief from this budget but were once again left disappointed, he said, pointing out inadequate allocations for canal expansion and irrigation infrastructure.
INLD supremo Abhay Singh Chautala echoed these sentiments, calling the budget "a jugglery of figures." He estimated that the state's debt would rise by Rs 40,000 crore and criticized the BJP government for continuously increasing heavy debt over the past 11 years.
This budget presentation sets the stage for intense political debate in Haryana, as the government pushes forward with its ambitious economic vision while facing robust opposition scrutiny over fiscal management and developmental priorities.
