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‘This is not just the budget, but an important document for our journey in 2027,’ says Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. (Photo Credit: X/@CMOMaharashtra)
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday presented the state Budget 2026-27 in the Assembly, outlining a roadmap focused on agriculture, technology and social integration. Beginning his speech, Fadnavis said the Budget was more than a financial statement.
“This is not just the budget, but an important document for our journey in 2027,” he said, as reported by The Hindu.
Fadnavis currently holds the finance portfolio as well.
Tribute To Ajit Pawar
The chief minister began his address with an emotional tribute to senior leader Ajit Pawar. “My heart feels heavy today,” Fadnavis said.
He noted that Pawar had served as Deputy Chief Minister multiple times and had presented the state Budget for 11 years. “His fiscal prudence had kept the State on track. This Budget is dedicated to him,” Fadnavis said, as report The Hindu.
He also announced that a memorial for Ajit Pawar will be constructed.
Maharashtra’s Growth Vision
Fadnavis said Maharashtra continues to remain the financial engine of the country. “Our share will be the biggest,” he said.
He added that the state aims to achieve a $5 trillion economic size by 2047.
The chief minister also thanked the prime minister for the additional funds expected under the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission.
He said the report of the Sixth Pay Commission constituted by the state government has been submitted on time and will be sent to the Governor. The report will be tabled in the next session of the Assembly.
During his speech, Fadnavis also recited a couplet: “Jab irada bana liya hai unchi udaan ka, fir dekhna fizul hai sar aasmaan ka.”
Focus On Social Equality
The government has declared 2026-27 as the year of social equality and integration, Fadnavis said. The initiative has been named the Sant Tukaram Maharaj Development Plan.
He also said the state will celebrate the 200th birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule with various programmes.
In addition, a Sant Gadgebaba Tirthakshetra pilgrimage circuit will be developed.
AI Push In Villages
Fadnavis announced a pilot project to use artificial intelligence in rural development. Under the plan, 75 villages will be selected where AI will be used to improve governance and quality of life.
The project will test how technology can help upgrade village infrastructure and services.
Agriculture And Farm Sector
The chief minister said the government will strengthen agriculture supply chains to help farmers access global markets. An integrated supply chain for 14–15 major crops will be created.
The state will also deploy Mahavistar AI to support agriculture services. The system will integrate tribal languages so that tribal farmers can also access agricultural information easily.
Fadnavis said agricultural data exchange platforms and agriculture universities will support agri-startups. He also announced that the AgriStack scheme will be implemented in the state.
Over one crore agriculture cards have already been prepared for farmers, he said, adding that tribal farmers will also be included. The government will also implement the Maharashtra Organic Farming Scheme.
In addition, farm labourers will be included under the Gopinath Munde scheme.
Fisheries And Rural Roads
For the fisheries sector, the government plans to strengthen infrastructure and support fishermen. Fadnavis also announced the Chief Minister Gram Sadak Yojana.
Under the first phase of the scheme, road development work will be completed by March 2026, he said.
The Budget speech laid out a mix of technology-driven reforms, agricultural initiatives and social programmes aimed at boosting rural development and economic growth in the state.
The government has also signed letters of intent with global and national institutions such as OpenAI and Sarvam AI to strengthen the Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence ecosystem in the state, Fadnavis said.
In addition, memoranda of understanding have been signed with Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and BharatGen to promote research, innovation and development in emerging technologies, the CM said in his Budget speech.
“The state government plans to introduce special policies to develop Maharashtra as a world-class hub for frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, drones, autonomous vehicles and deep technology. A cyber security policy aligned with the vision of Viksit Maharashtra 2047 will be implemented to make the state a secure, reliable and future-ready digital ecosystem,” he said.
An advanced state data centre will also be set up in Nagpur to ensure the security of the state’s sovereign data and applications, he added.
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March 06, 2026, 2:35 PM IST
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