Railway a strong pillar of Viksit Bharat, Union Budget to be extraordinary

Union Minister V Somanna calls the Railway sector a 'strong pillar' of 'Viksit Bharat' ahead of an 'extraordinary' Union Budget. Experts also weigh in, flagging low allocation for rural tourism and calling for parity in education.

Railways 'strong pillar' of Viksit Bharat

Union Minister of State of Railways, V Somanna, on Sunday called the Railway sector a "strong pillar" of 'Viksit Bharat' and said that the Union Budget will be "extraordinary". Speaking to ANI, Somanna hinted towards expectations for Railways, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to focus on every sector. He said, "Railways is the growth engine of modern India, it is the strong pillar of Viksit Bharat. Last year, the government also allotted a good amount to the railways. PM Modi aims to focus on every sector...This will be an extraordinary Budget."

Experts Voice Hopes and Concerns

Rural Tourism Advisor to Aunachal Pradesh, Tourism Advisor to Sikkim and Chairman of Ecotourism, Department of Tourism in West Bengal government, Raj Basu, hailed the Centre's projects and allocation for the urban tourism sector. Basu also flagged "little allocation" for the rural region in the budget. Basu said, "If we look at Siliguri itself, we will see the way Bagdogra Airport is being upgraded. We are seeing the road network that is coming up. We are seeing the New Jalpaiguri railway line under construction. Better connectivity and infrastructure are being addressed. Owner and entrepreneurship-based skill development should be prioritised. If we look at the budget, we see very little allocation for the rural region. There is a lot of focus on border tourism, which is very important."

Educationalist Abhaya Bose said, "It should be in a true sense a union budget. There should be no disparity among the states. There should be parity among elementary, basic, and higher education. People below the poverty line, or those struggling, should be able to lead a comfortable life. The budget should also look into that."

Budget Presentation Details

FM Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha as part of the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.

According to the List of Business, the Lower House will meet at 11 am. Sitharaman will present a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India for the year 2026-27.

The Finance Minister will also lay on the table two statements under Section 3(1) of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003. These include the Medium-term Fiscal Policy-cum-Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement and the Macro-Economic Framework Statement.

The List of Business further states that Sitharaman will move for leave to introduce the Finance Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The Finance Bill gives legal effect to the financial proposals of the government.

She is expected to present a Rs 54.1 lakh crore Union Budget for FY 2026-27, registering a year-on-year growth of 7.9 per cent, according to a report by Sunidhi Securities & Finance Limited.

The report highlighted that the size of the Union Budget, measured by Total Expenditure (TE) as a percentage of GDP, is the clearest indicator of the government's fiscal intent.

The Budget session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. (ANI)

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