Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents the Union Budget 2026 in Lok Sabha during the Budget Session, in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: Sansad TV via ANI
The government on Sunday (February 1, 2026) proposed the development of an ‘East Coast Industrial Corridor’ with a well-connected node at Durgapur in West Bengal, and creation of five tourism destinations in five ‘Purvodaya’ States.
Presenting the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed to launch a scheme for the development of Buddhist circuits in six northeastern States— Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
In her speech, she made a slew of announcements on a range of sectors, including agriculture, finance, health, employment, industry and tourism.
“I propose the development of an East Coast Industrial Corridor with a well-connected node at Durgapur, creation of five tourism destinations in five Purvodaya States, and the provision of 4,000 e-buses,” Ms. Sitharaman said.
Marking 100 days of Modi government 3.0, it had announced in September 2024 that various initiatives have been launched under the Viksit Bharat 2024 vision to build a strong foundation for a prosperous India.
These included the Purvodaya initiative aimed at all-round development of the eastern region of India, encompassing Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh.
It focuses on human resource development, infrastructure enhancement, and economic opportunities to propel the region towards becoming a key driver of a developed India.
Ms. Sitharaman, in her Budget speech, also laid emphasis on Buddhist sites in the northeastern region, saying it is a “civilisational confluence” of Theravada and Mahayana or Vajrayana traditions of Buddhism.
“I propose to launch a scheme for the development of Buddhist circuits in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. The scheme will cover preservation of temples and monasteries, pilgrimage interpretation centres, and pilgrim amenities,” she said.
Many of the northeastern States are endowed with historic monasteries and other Buddhist sites.
Published – February 01, 2026 02:34 pm IST
