New Delhi, Feb 1 (UNI) In her ninth consecutive Budget speech, union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlined a sweeping vision to propel India’s infrastructure, industry, and sustainability ambitions.
Highlighting the development of seven high-speed rail corridors as growth connectors, Sitharaman said, “In order to promote environmentally sustainable passenger systems, we will develop seven high-speed rail corridors connecting Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Chennai, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi, and Varanasi-Siliguri.”
On public investment, the Finance Minister proposed a record increase in capital expenditure to ₹12.2 lakh crore in 2026-27, emphasizing continued infrastructure development in Tier II and Tier III cities with populations above five lakh, which are emerging as vital growth centres.
To bolster strategic manufacturing, she announced Biopharma SHAKTI, India Semiconductor Mission (ISM 2.0), the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, and dedicated Rare Earth Corridors in Odisha and Kerala. A dedicated initiative for high-quality sports goods manufacturing and research was also unveiled.
In a major push for sustainable cargo movement, Sitharaman proposed new dedicated freight corridors from Dankuni to Surat, the operationalization of 20 new waterways over five years, and a ship repair ecosystem at Varanasi and Patna to support inland waterways.
On clean energy and technology, the Finance Minister announced a ₹20,000 crore outlay over five years for Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technologies, aiming to achieve higher readiness levels in end-use applications.
To strengthen entrepreneurship, she proposed a ₹10,000 crore MSME Growth Fund to create India’s future business champions.
Sitharaman’s Budget presents a roadmap balancing sustainable development, world-class infrastructure, and industrial competitiveness, reinforcing India’s journey towards a modern, resilient economy.
