Budget outlined plans to develop an integrated East Coast

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In Short

In Budget 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a series of major initiatives aimed at boosting infrastructure, tourism and healthcare in the Northeast, with a special focus on Assam and other Northeastern states

The Budget also outlined plans to develop an integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor

Digital Desk: In Budget 2026, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a series of major initiatives aimed at boosting infrastructure, tourism and healthcare in the Northeast, with a special focus on Assam and other Northeastern states.

One of the key announcements was the upgradation of the National Mental Health Institutes in Ranchi and Tezpur into Regional Apex Institutions, a move expected to strengthen specialised mental healthcare services across eastern and northeastern India.

The Budget also outlined plans to develop an integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor, with a well-connected industrial node at Durgapur. As part of the broader Northeastern vision, the government will create five tourism destinations across the five Northeastern states and deploy 4,000 electric buses to improve sustainable mobility and last-mile connectivity.

Under the budget scheme, 15 archaeological sites proposed to be developed; excavated landscapes will be opened to the public through curated walkways

A major highlight of the Budget was the launch of a new scheme to develop Buddhist circuits across six northeastern states — Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. The initiative aims to promote the Northeast as a hub for spiritual and cultural tourism while preserving its rich Buddhist heritage.

The budget by the government will focus on conserving temples and monasteries, setting up pilgrimage interpretation centres, improving connectivity, and upgrading amenities for pilgrims to encourage year-round tourism. The initiative is expected to position the Northeast as a key destination for heritage and spiritual travellers, while also generating local employment.

Together, the Buddhist circuit project, green transport push and infrastructure upgrades underscore the government’s intent to combine heritage, led tourism with sustainable development, positioning the Northeast as both spiritually significant and future-ready.