‘No big scheme' for poll-bound Tamil Nadu: Analyst draws a Bihar contrast in Union Budget 2026

Sumanth Raman said Bihar got big attention in last year's Budget, while there was no such preferential treatment for Tamil Nadu this year.

Published on: Feb 1, 2026, 15:22:52 IST

Edited by Majid Alam

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Poll-bound Tamil Nadu does not have anything significant in the Union Budget 2026-2027 that would attract people's attention, a noted political commentator said on Sunday. Political analyst Sumanth Raman drew a parallel between Bihar, which was at focus in last year's budget; and Tamil Nadu, where elections are due by April this year.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, center, displays a red folder containing the Union Budget 2026-27 at the steps of the parliament. (AP Photo) (AP)

Raman said that Bihar got big attention last year in a comparative sense, while there was no such preferential treatment for the southern state.

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Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who presented the Union Budget 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha today, made some announcements and key proposals for Tamil Nadu.

Some of the announcements for the state include rare earth minerals corridors, high-speed rail corridor connecting Chennai, and a coconut promotion scheme.

While speaking on the high-speed rail, Sumanth Raman said the announcement was nothing new and would not attract people in the southern state.

What Tamil Nadu gets in Budget 2026

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced seven high-speed rail corridors between cities, including Chennai-Bengaluru and Hyderabad-Chennai.

Sitharaman said the corridors would act as “growth connectors” and help promote passenger systems that are environmentally sustainable.

Also Read: From luxury watches to leather goods & essential medicines: What gets cheaper and what gets costlier

The budget also proposes coconut production schemes in major coconut-producing states, including Tamil Nadu, to strengthen farm incomes and diversify agricultural output.

Focus on Bihar in Budget 2025

Bihar featured prominently in the Union Budget 2025-2026, with Nirmala Sitharaman announcing a slew of schemes, including a new Makhana Board, greenfield airports and expansion of the Patna airport.

Also Read: Budget 2026 proposes 7 high-speed rail corridors across India | Full list here

Sitharaman mentioned a National Institute of Food Technology, Processing and Innovation, aimed at providing a fillip for entire eastern India, enhance farmers’ income, and skilling and employment opportunities for youth.

She also said that greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet future needs, apart from the expansion of Patna airport, which is now complete.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Majid Alam
Majid Alam is a Chief Content Producer working at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi. He currently heads shifts at online desk and manages homepage apart from writing, editing and curating articles. With over six years of experience in journalism, Majid has navigated national, politics and international news. His work primarily focuses on the politics of the Hindi heartland, government policies, and South Asia. He also writes on US and Europe’s policies vis-à-vis India. Before joining Hindustan Times, Majid worked at ABP LIVE as the Chief Copy Editor and at News18, where he managed the World and Explainers sections. His articles have featured in Dialogue Earth, The Quint, BMJ, The Diplomat, and Outlook India. Majid has a keen interest in the use of data for storytelling. Majid holds a Masters in Convergent Journalism from Jamia Millia Islamia. He was awarded the Erasmus+ scholarship to study International Affairs at Sciences Po, Paris in 2020. He is also part of the OCEANS Network, an alumni network of Erasmus+ exchange scholars. He is currently serving as the National Representative (India) at the OCEANS Network. Apart from journalism, Majid has a flair for academic writing and loves to teach. He has published a book chapter: 'Bombay Cinema and Postmodernism' in the book: 'Handbook of Research on Social and Cultural Dynamics in Indian Cinema.' He was also part of the OCEANS Network delegation to Hanoi National University of Education in Vietnam in 2025. He has also given guest lecture in digital journalism at AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia.Read More

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