Assam Budget to outline five-year development roadmap, says Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, May 15, said the first full-fledged annual Budget of the new Assam government, likely to be presented in July, will outline the administration’s development plans and policy roadmap for the next five years.
 

Speaking to reporters after offering prayers at Batadrava Than in Nagaon district, the Chief Minister said the Budget session is likely to begin on July 5 or 6.
 

“The annual Budget could not be presented in February or March as the state was headed for Assembly elections. The upcoming Budget will reflect our government’s plans and priorities for the next five years,” Sarma said.
 

He said the government is holding a series of meetings with different departments to prepare the Budget and incorporate both pending development projects and feedback received from people during the Assembly election campaign.
 

“There are projects we had planned earlier but could not implement. At the same time, we have received valuable suggestions from the public during our campaign. These will be reflected in the Budget,” he said.
 

The Chief Minister also said the government remains committed to implementing the promises made in the Bharatiya Janata Party election manifesto.
 

He noted that the party’s 2021 manifesto had been limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this time the government is aiming for broader developmental initiatives.
 

Earlier in the day, Sarma visited Batadrava Than, the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva, on his first official visit outside Guwahati after taking oath as Chief Minister for a second consecutive term.
 

Later, after returning to Guwahati, the Chief Minister chaired separate review meetings with officials of the Finance Department and the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Department.
 

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the finance review focused on strengthening Assam’s economy, reviewing key fiscal indicators, and enhancing the state’s economic resilience.
 

In a separate meeting, Sarma directed officials to expedite Aadhaar seeding and e-KYC of beneficiaries, accelerate the distribution of essential commodities such as pulses, sugar and salt, and strengthen paddy procurement.
 

The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to building a transparent, technology-driven food security system across the state.