Union Budget 2026 falls short of expectations in poll-bound West Bengal

Union Budget 2026-27 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday (February 1, 2026) fell short of expectations of the people of poll bound West Bengal.

The Finance Minister announced that one of the “High-Speed Rail corridors” between cities as “growth connectors” will connect Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Siliguri in West Bengal. The Budget also announced a new dedicated freight corridor connecting Dankuni in the East, to Surat in the West.

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Ms. Sitharaman in her Budget speech also emphasised on “Purvodaya” and proposed the development of an integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor with a well-connected node at Durgapur in South Bengal. The initiative has proposed creation of five tourism destinations in the five Purvodaya States, and the provision of 4,000 e-buses.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the Budget had nothing to offer to people of the State. “It is directionless, visionless, mission less, and actionless. The economy is derailed. The budget is anti-poor, anti-youth, anti-women, and anti-farmer. The budget is anti-SC, ST, and OBC,” she said.

Ms. Banerjee said that the freight corridor from Dankuni that has been mentioned in this Budget was announced by her during the 2009 Railway Budget. “There, I mentioned Dankuni to Amritsar. It has been pending for more than 15 years,” she said. The Chief Minister also referred to the markets reacting negatively to the Budget.

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Speaking in a similar vein, Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said that in her entire speech Ms. Sitharaman did not refer to West Bengal even once. “There is nothing for Bengal in the 85-minute budget speech. The Finance Minister mentioned that a NIMHANS institute will be formed. One already exists in Bengaluru, and two more will be set up in Jharkhand and Assam. This means that anyone from Bengal seeking treatment at NIMHANS will have to travel to Assam or Jharkhand, as no institute is being created in Bengal,” he said.

Principal Chief Advisor to Chief Minister and Finance Department of West Bengal Amit Mitra also held a press conference and said that the NDA government has reduced budgetary allocation on education, subsidy on fertilisers and allocation for welfare of SC, ST, OBC and Minorities. Mr. Mitra said that the allocation for education ideally should have been 6% of total expenditure but in reality it has declined from 3.8 % in 2015-16 to 2.60 % in the current Budget estimates.

The BJP leadership in West Bengal said that the infrastructure push through rail and freight corridors will push economy of the State. BJP MLA and economist Ashok Lahiri held a press conference and pointed out the Budget announcement of an ‘East Coast Industrial Corridor’ with a well-connected node at Durgapur in West Bengal is tribute to former Chief Minister of West Bengal Bidhan Chandra Roy.

Mr. Lahiri said that he is not surprised by Ms. Banerjee’s remarks and asked whether her government has any plan for the development of the State. “Union Budget is for the overall development of the country,” he said.

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Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said that proposed Dedicated Freight Corridor from Dankuni to Surat and high-speed rail corridor from Varanasi to Siliguri will significantly enhance the potential for industrialisation in West Bengal.

Elections in West Bengal are scheduled in the next few months and investments, industry and jobs are going to be prominent issues in the Assembly polls.