Education, women’s empowerment to anchor Haryana budget: CM Saini

Pre-budget meet in Gurugram highlights focus on knowledge, research funding, NEP rollout and welfare schemes for women and girls

Published on: Jan 13, 2026, 03:04:25 IST

By Leena Dhankhar

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The Haryana government is committed to strengthening education and advancing women’s empowerment, aligning policies with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Monday. Speaking at a pre-budget consultation in Gurugram, he said the upcoming budget would centre on knowledge and women’s participation.

Budget will prioritise learning, innovation and women’s welfare, building on last year’s ₹21,893 crore education allocation and schemes (Parveen Kumar/HT)

“When knowledge, power and women’s power come together, they create the strongest foundation for inclusive growth,” Saini said, adding that education shapes future generations while women’s empowerment accelerates progress.

Referring to last year’s exercise, Saini said the government had incorporated 63 key suggestions received during pre-budget consultations for the education sector, leading to an allocation of ₹21,893 crore. Initiatives that followed included expansion of Model Sanskriti Schools, introduction of double-shift schooling, establishment of STEM laboratories and exposure programmes linking students with national institutions such as ISRO and DRDO.

CM Saini further said programmes to strengthen foundational learning, industry-academia partnerships, the Kalpana Chawla Scholarship Scheme and the Haryana State Research Fund were outcomes of participatory policymaking.

On higher education, Saini said research and innovation are core, citing a ₹20-crore State Research Fund. One government college per district is being developed as a Model Sanskriti College, with all 22 fully implementing the National Education Policy by 2026–27. The NEV portal was launched as a data-driven decision-support system.

Regarding women’s welfare, the budget will prioritise education, health, safety, employment, and self-reliance. Last year, ₹2,101.55 crore was allocated to the women and child development department, with ₹975.15 crore utilised. Saini highlighted schemes such as the Lado Lakshmi, the statewide Kishori Yojana, women’s hostels in six districts, and expanded self-help groups through government canteen tenders.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Leena Dhankhar
Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More

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