Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Monday passed a budget of ₹58,830.67 crore for the financial year 2026–27, marking an increase of ₹3,902.67 crore from the original outlay presented earlier this month. The budget was cleared through a voice vote in just three minutes, without any disruption or detailed discussion.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had initially presented a budget of ₹54,928 crore on March 21. The revised outlay now reflects an upward adjustment, even as the state continues to struggle with rising debt, increasing revenue expenditure, and limited avenues for resource generation.
The state’s financial situation has been a growing concern, with a significant portion of the budget going towards committed liabilities such as salaries, pensions, and debt servicing. This is reflected in the Finance Department’s allocation, where ₹19,380.81 crore has been allocated for revenue expenditure and ₹4,842.19 crore for capital expenditure.
The Education Department has received the highest allocation, with ₹8,848.86 crore set aside for revenue expenditure. However, questions remain over the effectiveness of spending.
The Health sector has been allocated ₹2,704.54 crore under revenue expenditure and a modest ₹3.519 crore for capital expenditure, highlighting concerns about inadequate investment in strengthening healthcare infrastructure despite growing demand.
In the infrastructure sector, the Public Works Department has been allocated ₹2,481.76 crore for revenue expenditure and ₹1,104.82 crore for capital works. Similarly, Irrigation, Water Supply and Sanitation has received ₹2,385.30 crore in revenue and ₹765.02 crore in capital expenditure.
The Rural Development Department has been allocated ₹1,686.27 crore under revenue expenditure, while the Agriculture sector has been given ₹338.85 crore for revenue and ₹16.05 crore for capital expenditure.
Under the Planning and Backward Areas Development Programme, ₹104.20 crore has been allocated for revenue expenditure and ₹63.55 crore for capital works. The Power sector has been allotted ₹207.99 crore for revenue and ₹42.90 crore for capital expenditure.
A comparison with the previous financial year shows a mixed trend. In 2025–26, a budget of ₹58,514 crore was presented, which later rose to ₹62,387 crore after an increase of ₹3,873 crore. The current year’s final figure remains lower than last year’s revised budget, indicating fiscal constraints.
