Union Budget 2026: Sitharaman announces scheme to develop Buddhist circuit in Northeast to preserve temples, monasteries

Union Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her ninth Budget speech on Sunday, announced a scheme for the development of a Buddhist circuit in the North East region. The Buddhist circuit scheme will help preserve and establish temples and monasteries. She also announced the development of an East Industrial Corridor and the provision of 4,000 e-buses for tourism destinations.

The finance minister said the Centre has allocated ₹5,000 crore for CITY Economic Regions (CERs) over five years.

Presenting the Union Budget 2026, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Govt to launch scheme for development of Buddhist circuit in North East region to preserve temple, monasteries….Govt will create five tourism destinations in 5 Purvodaya states and will make provisions for 4,000 e-buses.”

Purvodaya is the Central government's vision for the rapid development of Eastern India.

Sitharaman had earlier emphasised that the Central government has given the Northeast top priority in terms of infrastructure, investments, skill development and digital expansion.

"Northeast has been kept at the centre of policy when you're looking at development, skills, investments," she said in response to a query by Rishabh Sethi on leveraging the Act East Policy for innovation and trade. The region, she added, is now supported by stronger connectivity, improved digital infrastructure and widening market access.

After decades of lagging in infrastructure, the Northeast is witnessing rapid upgrades in highways, airports, digital networks and logistics. "Capacities have been ramped up… and digital capabilities are catching up very fast," she said, adding that the region's location makes it a key partner in India's engagement with Southeast Asia.

Recently, President Droupadi Murmu, while addressing both Houses of Parliament on 28 January, said that the government is giving emphasis to rapid development in the eastern and northeastern regions of India.

“After Independence, the progress of India got momentum from a few cities and regions. A large part of India and a significant portion of the population did not have access to adequate opportunities. Today, my government is transforming the potential of underdeveloped regions and marginalised populations into the driving force for Viksit Bharat,” she said.

Speaking of the northeastern states, President Murmu had said, “Assam, in the northeastern region, is the land of great icons like Srimanta Sankardev. Soon, a semiconductor chip manufactured in Assam will become a lifeline for electronic products worldwide. More than ₹80,000 crore have been invested for the development of railways in the northeastern region during the last 11 years. The capitals of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Mizoram have now been connected through broad-gauge rail lines.”

(With PTI inputs)