Moa Jamir
Dimapur | February 1
Despite public appreciation from the Nagaland Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, the Union Budget 2026–27 has made no explicit announcement or allocation specifically for Nagaland, with the State not featuring directly in any new scheme or policy initiative, a preliminary analysis of the budget documents indicated.
However, Nagaland may indirectly benefit from several national-level initiatives and expanded Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), as overall ministry-wise allocations as well as the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) have recorded an increase in the Budget Estimates (BE).
As per the Union Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on February 1, the total allocation for NE region has been pegged at Rs 1,08,335.42 crore (BE) for 2026–27, up from the Revised Estimates (RE) of Rs 88,741.18 crore in 2025–26. The BE for 2025-26 was Rs 105833.28.
The DoNER Ministry has been allocated Rs 6,636.11 crore (BE) for 2026–27, compared to Rs 4,327.88 crore at the RE stage in the previous fiscal.
The allocation comprises Rs 2,177.07 crore towards revenue expenditure and Rs 4,459.04 crore towards capital expenditure, reflecting a sharper emphasis on capital-intensive interventions.
In comparison, DoNER’s capital outlay stood at Rs 3,946.67 crore (BE) and Rs 2,981.84 crore (RE) in 2025–26.
Incidentally, while most NE States have been included under the proposed Buddhist Circuit development scheme covering (Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura), only Nagaland and Meghalaya do not feature in the announced list.
This omission assumes significance given that Nagaland has a notable Buddhist population, with the 2011 Census recording 6,759 Buddhists in the State.
Kohima district accounted for the highest concentration with 1,519 persons, followed by Dimapur (1,270) and Mon (1,084). Tuensang recorded 572 Buddhists, while 312 were listed in Mokokchung.
The Dimapur Tamang Buddhist Monastery at Padampukhuri and the Hongkong Market area in Dimapur, closely associated with the community, are among prominent cultural markers.
Despite the absence of a State-specific scheme, Nagaland could potentially benefit from several national initiatives announced in the Budget, subject to eligibility, project formulation and implementation capacity. These include the Rs10,000 crore SME Growth Fund, the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj initiative for khadi, handloom and handicrafts, and other interventions in the textiles sector.
Additional areas of potential benefit include the expansion of allied health education and services, skill development and education-to-employment linkages, inland waterways development, the proposed Khelo India Mission, and the announcement of girls’ hostels in every district.
CM, Deputy CM hails budget
Meanwhile, taking to X, Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio congratulated the Finance Minister, stating that the Union Budget brings a renewed focus on the North-East through investments in connectivity, religious and cultural tourism, regional integration and livelihood generation.
In a separate statement, Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton noted that the Budget reflects a commitment towards historically disadvantaged and geographically challenged regions, including the NE.
