New Delhi, February 1, 2026:
Former Union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur on Saturday described the Union Budget 2026–27, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, as a “balanced and inclusive roadmap” aimed at fulfilling the aspirations of youth and accelerating India’s journey towards a developed nation.
Praising the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Thakur said the NDA government remains committed to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. He noted that the Budget reflects three key duties — economic sovereignty and growth, fulfillment of public aspirations, and equitable distribution of resources — underlining the government’s focus on employment, development, and social security.
Calling the Budget a strong foundation for a self-reliant and developed India, Thakur said it prioritizes empowerment of the poor, women, youth, farmers, the middle class, and other vulnerable sections. He highlighted that public capital expenditure has been increased from ₹11.2 lakh crore last year to ₹12.2 lakh crore, describing it as a major step toward building a future-ready economy.
Thakur also welcomed the launch of the ‘Khelo India Mission’ aimed at strengthening grassroots sports infrastructure, integrating sports science and technology, and organizing competitions and leagues to nurture talent nationwide.
He further praised the government’s push to promote the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector as a major industry, projecting a requirement of 2 million professionals by 2030. Proposals to establish an Indian Institute of Creative Technology in Mumbai, AVGC content creator labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges, and new National Design Schools were described as transformative measures to boost India’s orange economy. The initiative aims to create over one million jobs in gaming and creative industries.
Reiterating that India has emerged as one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world over the past 12 years, Thakur said the Budget will further strengthen the nation’s development trajectory and reflects the government’s commitment to the holistic socio-economic upliftment of the last person in society.
