Gujarat's Ambitious 2025-26 Budget: A Vision for Green Growth and Economic Development

The Gujarat government's 2025-26 budget proposes a Rs 148 crore tax relief by reducing stamp duty and EV tax, a Rs 50,000 crore Viksit Gujarat Fund, and new infrastructures like expressways and airports. It emphasizes social security, green growth, and a roadmap for 'Viksit Gujarat 2047'.

The Gujarat government's financial blueprint for 2025-26 introduces significant tax cuts, aiming to relieve taxpayers by Rs 148 crore. The benefits stem from reduced stamp duty on mortgage deeds and a reduction in vehicle tax for Electric Vehicles (EVs). Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, presenting the Rs 3.70 lakh crore budget, avoided new taxes and introduced key initiatives designed to modernize the state's economic landscape.

Desai emphasized the five foundational pillars of the budget: social security, human resource development, infrastructure advancement, green growth, and the stimulation of economic activities. A pitch for a 'Viksit Gujarat 2047' aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's larger vision of a 'Viksit Bharat', underpinned by a Rs 50,000 crore Viksit Gujarat Fund proposal over the next five years.

Among other highlights, Desai announced investments in infrastructure with new high-speed corridors, expressways leading to pilgrimage sites, and expansions of multiple airports. Ambitious plans are in place to harness river water storage and groundwater recharge, bolstering the state's commitment to sustainability. The establishment of a new Commissionerate of Services aims to tap into the service sector's potential, ensuring balanced economic growth across the state's regions.

(With inputs from agencies.)