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Gujarat budget promises creation of 500K jobs
Finance minister Kanubhai Desai said the total budget estimate (BE) outlay of ₹3,70,250.35 crore for 2025-26 showed an increase of ₹37,785 crore, or 11.36%, over the BE of FY25.
Gujarat finance minister Kanubhai Desai on Thursday presented the 2025-26 state budget with an outlay of ₹3.70 lakh crore in the assembly, focusing on infrastructure development without proposing any new taxes while offering a tax relief of ₹148 crore by reducing the stamp duty on mortgage deeds and the motor vehicle tax on Electric Vehicles (EVs).
Desai said the total budget estimate (BE) outlay of ₹3,70,250.35 crore for 2025-26 showed an increase of ₹37,785 crore, or 11.36%, over the BE of FY25. Considering the revenue account with capital account and net public account, the estimates for the financial year 2025-26 show surplus of ₹1,007 crore, he added.
The minister announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the western state has prepared a roadmap for “Viksit Gujarat 2047” (developed Gujarat) to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.
“To transform this vision into reality, we are committed to formulating and implementing well-planned projects and welfare schemes. For this, I propose to create a ₹50,000 crore Viksit Gujarat Fund over the next five years. I propose an allocation of ₹5,000 crore in this budget,” Desai said.
He further said that inspired by PM Modi, the state government has “resolved to focus of GYAN — Gareeb (poor), Yuva (youth), Annadata (farmers) and Nari Shakti (women power) to achieve Viksit Bharat 2047.”
To provide relief to residents, the government reduced stamp duty on mortgage deeds and motor vehicle tax on electric vehicles, offering a tax benefit of ₹148 crore. It also committed to creating 500,000 new jobs, particularly targeting the youth.
In an infrastructure push, the government announced two new greenfield expressways—the Namo Shakti Expressway, linking Deesa in North Gujarat to Pipavav in Saurashtra, and the Somnath-Dwarka Expressway, connecting Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Dwarka, Somnath, and Porbandar. Additionally, 12 high-speed corridors spanning 1,367 km will be developed under the “Garvi Gujarat High-Speed Corridor” project for which a provision of ₹1,020 crore was announced.
In sector-wise allocation, the budget earmarked ₹60,000 crore for education and ₹23,365 crore for health and family welfare. A substantial ₹1,612 crore has been allocated for agricultural modernisation and farmer welfare while fisheries got ₹1,622 crore package.
Hailing the budget, chief minister Bhupendra Patel described it as a reflection of the commitment to the vision of a Viksit Gujarat and a mission of Jan Kalyan (public welfare). “In response to the honourable prime minister’s call for water conservation, Gujarat’s urban areas will launch the ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign, encouraging public participation to raise groundwater levels,” he added.
