Shimla | March 17, 2025
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented the state’s budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 today, arriving at the Assembly in a humble Alto car instead of a luxury vehicle. His budget speech, delivered at 11 AM, unveiled a series of welfare measures aimed at bolstering social security, employment, agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure development in the state.
One of the most significant announcements in the budget was a ₹1,500 monthly pension for all eligible women above the age of 21, starting from January 2025. This move, expected to benefit thousands across the state, underscores the government’s commitment to women’s welfare and financial security.
Key Highlights of the Himachal Budget 2025-26
Urban and Rural Development
- Honorariums for municipal officials have been increased:
- Mayor: ₹25,000
- Deputy Mayor: ₹19,000
- Municipal Councillor: ₹9,400
- Municipal Council Chairman: ₹10,800
- Vice Chairman: ₹8,900
- Municipal Ward Members: ₹4,500
- Nagar Panchayat Pradhan: ₹9,000
- Vice Pradhan: ₹7,000
- Nagar Panchayat Members: ₹4,500
- Newly added villages to urban bodies will be exempt from property tax for three years.
- Small businesses such as barbers, paan vendors, food stall owners, and kiosk operators will receive government assistance in repaying business loans.
Employment and Skill Development
- Shimla IT Park (Mehli) and Kangra IT Park to create 650 new jobs.
- Establishment of sports hostels in Hamirpur (100 beds), Shimla (50 beds), and Rikangpio, Haroli, and Jaisinghpur.
- Two directorates to be established in the education department—one for schools and one for higher education.
Tourism and Infrastructure
- Kangra Airport expansion to be completed within the stipulated time frame, with land acquisition in progress.
- ₹3,000 crore allocated for airport development.
- 78 new eco-tourism sites identified, projected to generate ₹200 crore in five years.
- The government to provide financial assistance for homestay and hotel construction in non-tribal areas at 4% interest and 5% interest in tribal regions.
Agriculture and Horticulture
- A new scheme introduced to prevent the auctioning of farmland due to unpaid loans.
- 120 new trout farming units to be established, with a reduced royalty of 7.5% from the previous 15%.
- Farmers to receive financial support for solar fencing under the Mukhyamantri Khet Suraksha Yojana.
- ₹100 crore to be allocated for the Shiva Project, aimed at boosting horticulture.
- ₹5 crore investment in digital platforms to support fruit and vegetable farmers.
- Government-backed initiatives to promote turmeric, guava, and pomegranate cultivation.
- A Spice Park to be set up in Hamirpur.
Financial Support for Farmers
- Minimum support price (MSP) for key crops:
- Turmeric: ₹90 per kg
- Maize: ₹40 per kg
- Wheat: ₹60 per kg
- Dairy farmers to receive ₹61 per litre for buffalo milk and ₹51 per litre for cow milk.
Healthcare and Social Welfare
- A 50-bed AYUSH hospital to be established in Kangra.
- Free medical check-ups under the Acharya Charaka Yojana.
- The government to cover insurance for two daughters in BPL families under the Indira Gandhi Sukh Shiksha Yojana.
Support for Startups and Small Businesses
- Launch of the CM Startup Scheme to encourage entrepreneurship.
- Subsidies for purchasing food vans—₹3 lakh subsidy on a ₹10 lakh food van.
The 2025-26 budget reflects a broad-based development strategy, balancing social welfare with economic growth. Despite financial constraints, the government has prioritized women’s empowerment, rural infrastructure, and employment generation, ensuring support for various sections of society.
The budget’s focus on tourism, agriculture, and IT infrastructure is expected to boost the state’s economy, while social security measures like the ₹1,500 pension scheme for women underline the government’s commitment to inclusive growth.
