Guwahati, July 10 (IANS) Assam Finance Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on Friday presented the 2026-27 state Budget in the Assembly, unveiling an ambitious roadmap centred on job creation, infrastructure development, healthcare, education and welfare while outlining 10 key initiatives to drive the state's growth. The Budget presented by Mallabrauah placed a strong emphasis on creating employment opportunities, with the government setting a target of providing two lakh government jobs. It also announced that welfare schemes such as Orunodoi, Nijut Moina and other key social security initiatives would continue without interruption.

In a major push for aviation infrastructure, the state government has set a target of making Guwahati Airport an 80-million-passenger-capacity airport, significantly enhancing Assam's connectivity and positioning it as a major aviation hub in the Northeast. The Budget proposed an investment of Rs 72,000 crore in the power sector. According to the Finance Minister, the investment will support thermal, hydro, solar and battery energy storage projects aimed at strengthening the state's power infrastructure and meeting future energy demands.

To boost agriculture, Jayanta Mallabaruah announced an allocation of Rs 4,000 crore for irrigation projects in the Brahmaputra valley, with the objective of expanding irrigation coverage and improving agricultural productivity. Recognising the contribution of tea garden workers, the state Budget said welfare programmes for tea tribes and plantation workers would continue. These initiatives will focus on improving healthcare, nutrition and overall living conditions in tea-growing regions.

The healthcare sector received another major boost, with the government announcing plans to recruit 33,000 healthcare personnel. The appointments are expected to strengthen district hospitals and improve the delivery of public health services across the state. In the education sector, the Finance Minister reaffirmed the state government's commitment to continuing recruitment of teachers in universities, colleges and newly established educational institutions to improve higher education infrastructure and address faculty shortages.

The Budget also laid emphasis on enhancing youth employability by introducing skill development initiatives. The government plans to train young people in areas such as artificial intelligence, visual effects (VFX) and foreign languages, including English, Japanese and Korean, to improve their prospects in domestic and international job markets.

Among the key infrastructure proposals, Mallabaruah announced plans to accelerate work on roads, bridges, rail and airport connectivity. He also proposed the construction of Dibrugarh as Assam's second capital, aimed at promoting balanced regional development and improving administrative accessibility in Upper Assam. The Budget reflects the government's focus on employment-led growth, infrastructure creation and long-term economic development while continuing welfare measures for various sections of society, the minister said.

--IANS