Gurugram: Unveiling his first annual budget Monday, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced the inception of a ‘Department of Future’—an initiative aimed at preparing the state for economic, technological and environmental challenges.
The department is meant to serve as Haryana’s strategic think tank to analyse global trends, forecast risks and formulate policies to ensure sustained growth. It will focus on key areas, such as climate change preparedness, artificial intelligence, automation and economic resilience, while driving Haryana’s push towards AI adoption, and integrating robotics and emerging technologies with governance and industry.
Haryana’s budget for FY 2025-26 has a total outlay of Rs 2,05,017.29 crore, marking a 13.7 percent increase from the previous fiscal year, with 72.4 percent for revenue expenditure and 27.6 percent for capital expenditure.
The fiscal deficit has been projected at 2.67 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which remains well within the permissible limit of three percent under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act.
The revenue deficit is estimated at 1.53 percent of GSDP, while the debt-to-GSDP ratio stands at 26.18 percent, reflecting Haryana’s financial stability. Revenue receipts are expected to rise by 13.49 percent to Rs 1,27,816.84 crore.
This year’s fiscal deficit projection is less than the 2.77 percent figure in the Budget Estimates, and 2.68 in Revised Budget Estimates, for FY 2024-25. The revenue deficit this time is higher than last year’s 1.47 percent, according to budget estimates and revised estimates for last fiscal.
Proposing the setting up of Department of Future in his budget speech, Saini—who also holds the finance portfolio—said, “The future is always filled with uncertainties and possibilities. However, given the global circumstances today, the need to anticipate upcoming challenges, predict potential risks, and enhance our ability to mitigate them has grown significantly.”
He added, “Our various departments have so far been preparing budget proposals in the traditional manner, but now this approach will have to change. The impacts of climate change, artificial intelligence innovations, quantum computing, and robotics, along with new technologies affecting multiple sectors, industries, enterprises, and businesses, will introduce both challenges and opportunities.”
Key announcements
The chief minister has announced the Haryana AI Mission, for which the World Bank has “assured assistance of over Rs 474 crore”. He said, “Under this mission, one hub each will be established in Gurugram and Panchkula. We will train 50,000 youth in modern technologies.”
Additionally, Saini announced the provision of Rs 5000 crore for the Lado Lakshmi Scheme—a pre-poll promise by the Bharatiya Janata Party—under which Rs 2,100 per month will be given to women.
Saying that the allocation is too small to meet the required expenditure for the scheme, former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda questioned the criteria for the scheme. In response, Saini said that Rs 5,000 crore is just an initial allocation and that the fund will continue to grow over time.
To address the issue of drug addiction, Saini has announced the establishment of a new authority called SANKALP (Substance Abuse and Narcotics Knowledge Awareness and Liberation Program Authority), which will work in close coordination with various departments and seek active societal participation to eliminate both the demand and supply of drugs.
The body will also play a crucial role in guiding young people towards responsible and sustainable development by promoting awareness and rehabilitation initiatives. To support its operations, the government has allocated Rs 10 crore as an initial fund.
Saini also emphasised the government’s determination to curb illegal migration by the youth via the ‘dunki’ route to countries like the US. The Haryana government will introduce a new bill in the assembly aimed at cracking down on illegal migration networks to ensure that Haryana’s youth do not fall prey to unsafe and fraudulent immigration practices, he said.
In addition, the government will strengthen the Haryana Overseas Employment Cell and Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam, both functioning under the foreign cooperation department, to provide a secure and legal pathway for global employment opportunities for aspiring youth.
Furthermore, national and international athletes will receive free insurance coverage of up to Rs 20 lakh, with the government bearing the premium cost. Olympic medalists will be provided Rs 10 lakh to start their own businesses, and will be eligible for a Rs 5 crore loan with a 2 percent subsidy to establish their own sports academies.
The chief minister also announced that Hisar airport will soon have flight services to Ayodhya, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Jammu. To improve urban infrastructure, multi-level parking facilities will be developed in several cities. A new metro line will be planned for Gurugram.
In the field of education, female students pursuing graduation or post-graduation in science and engineering will receive an annual scholarship of Rs 1 lakh under the Kalpana Chawla Scholarship Scheme.
Addressing employment concerns, Saini reaffirmed that under Mission Haryana-2047 launched this year, 50 lakh youth will be provided jobs.
Allocations to various departments
The Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Department has received a significant allocation of Rs 1,372.1 crore, aimed at enhancing vocational training programs and employment-oriented initiatives. The government also plans to encourage start-ups and self-employment schemes, fostering a culture of entrepreneurship in Haryana.
The education sector has been granted Rs 22,312.46 crore, with strong emphasis on improving school infrastructure, providing digital learning tools and offering scholarships to meritorious students. To enhance healthcare services, Rs 10,539.96 crore has been allocated to focus on strengthening rural medical infrastructure and increasing accessibility to quality healthcare facilities.
Agriculture and rural development continue to be a priority with an outlay of Rs 7,600.37 crore to support irrigation, modern farming techniques and crop diversification.
Special emphasis has been placed on organic and sustainable farming, and encouraging farmers to adopt eco-friendly practices that improve soil fertility and yield. In addition, the government has proposed a new set of irrigation projects to ensure water availability for farmers across the state.
Infrastructure development has also received a major push, with Rs 4,830.73 crore earmarked for the Public Works Department for roads, bridges and connectivity projects.
The government has planned significant investments in renewable energy projects to increase the state’s dependence on clean energy sources, while reducing environmental degradation. Water conservation initiatives are also part of the long-term infrastructure strategy to ensure the efficient use and management of water resources.
(Edited by Mannat Chugh)
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