Rajasthan Budget: Focus on infrastructure, youth and economic growth
Jaipur: Finance Minister Diya Kumari will present the Rajasthan Budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Wednesday in the state Assembly. This time, the budget is expected to prioritise infrastructure development, and economic strengthening over populist measures and focus on youth-centric policies and initiatives.
This will be Diya Kumari’s second consecutive budget since the formation of the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government in December 2023.
The final draft was completed on Tuesday in a meeting at the state secretariat, where she signed the authentic copy, concluding an extensive preparation process. The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) Akhil Arora, Principal Secretary (Budget) Debashish Prishti, Secretary (Expenditure) Naveen Jain, Secretary (Revenue) Kumarpal Gautam, and Director (Budget) Brijesh Kishore Sharma.
Rajasthan BJP chief Madan Rathore stated that the budget will align with public expectations. Under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s leadership, inputs from various societal sectors have been incorporated. Rathore emphasized that Sharma, having risen from humble beginnings and travelled extensively across the state, has a deep understanding of key developmental needs.
Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani expressed confidence that the second phase of the budget session, commencing on Wednesday with the presentation, will proceed smoothly.
He mentioned that leaders from all parties assured their full cooperation to ensure productive discussions.
The first phase of the session (January 31 – February 7) faced disruptions due to protests, slogan-shouting, and abrupt adjournments by the opposition.
In preparation for a more orderly session this time, Speaker Devnani convened an all-party meeting in his Assembly chamber on Monday.
The meeting aimed at resolving recent disruptions and ensuring the smooth functioning of the House.
Devnani urged all members to prevent such a situation in the future, adding that a consensus was reached between the parties to ensure the smooth functioning of the Rajasthan Assembly. He stressed that the Opposition should raise issues in a dignified manner, while the state government should ensure proper responses. The Speaker emphasised that the Assembly is a sacred institution of democracy, and it is the collective responsibility of both the ruling party and the Opposition to uphold its dignity.