Gujarat’s Biggest-Ever Budget 2026-27: AI, Tourism, and Olympic Dreams in Focus

Gujarat Budget 2026-27 was presented with a record outlay of ₹4,08,053 crore by Finance Minister Kanu Desai in the Assembly at Gandhinagar on February 18, 2026. This is the biggest budget in the state’s history. The government also declared 2026 as Gujarat Tourism Year. The Budget focuses on tourism growth, AI-driven policing, Olympic-ready sports infrastructure, bus expansion, police housing, highways and enhanced health coverage, setting an ambitious roadmap for the coming decade.

Gujarat Budget 2026-27: Record ₹4.08 Lakh Crore Outlay

• Gujarat Budget 2026-27 marks the highest-ever state outlay at ₹4.08 lakh crore.
• Finance Minister Kanu Desai, presenting his fifth consecutive budget, structured it around five pillars like social security, human resource development, infrastructure, economic expansion and green growth.
• The scale of the Gujarat Budget 2026-27 signals an aggressive growth strategy aimed at transforming governance and infrastructure.
• The government positioned this fiscal plan as a long-term blueprint rather than a routine expenditure statement, aligning development with technology, tourism and global branding.

Gujarat Tourism Year 2026: Big Push for Pilgrimage and Heritage

• Gujarat Budget 2026-27 declared 2026 as Gujarat Tourism Year, allocating ₹5,096 crore for tourism, pilgrimage, civil aviation and sports.
• A key highlight is ₹447 crore for a world-class bus port at Somnath to enhance visitor mobility and transform it into a global destination.
• Additionally, ₹236 crore has been earmarked to upgrade facilities at the Statue of Unity.
• Historic sites like Lothal and Dholavira are being promoted as global tourist hubs.
• Gujarat Tourism Year aims to link heritage conservation with employment generation and economic expansion.

AI Policing and Police Housing in Gujarat Budget 2026-27

• Gujarat Budget 2026-27 introduces a major governance reform through AI-driven policing.
• The government proposed setting up a Data Fusion Centre and Centre of Excellence for AI in Policing with ₹60 crore allocation.
• This system will enable real-time data aggregation and predictive law enforcement.
• Alongside technology upgrades, ₹1,571 crore has been allocated for constructing 20,444 modern houses for police personnel over five years.
• The Gujarat Budget 2026-27 links police welfare with operational efficiency to strengthen law and order.

Olympic Ready Ahmedabad and Sports Infrastructure

• Gujarat Budget 2026-27 outlines plans to transform Ahmedabad into an ‘Olympic Ready City’ ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
• An allocation of ₹1,278 crore has been proposed for international-grade sports complexes, stadiums and public transport integration.
• This move aims to position Gujarat as a global sports destination.
• The Olympic Ready Ahmedabad initiative blends infrastructure expansion with global branding. T
• he Gujarat Budget 2026-27 thus places sports development at the centre of prestige and economic growth strategy.

Transport, Highways and Green Mobility Expansion

• Gujarat Budget 2026-27 proposes induction of 2,463 technologically upgraded buses, including 500 AC electric buses and 500 mini buses for tribal areas, students and industrial workers.
• ₹1,286 crore has been allocated for this mobility push.
• Additionally, 1,155 km of state roads will be developed as the Garvi Gujarat High-Speed Corridor with ₹800 crore provision.
• These measures aim to enhance logistics efficiency, green transport adoption and regional connectivity under the Gujarat Budget 2026-27 framework.

Health Cover and Social Security Measures

• Gujarat Budget 2026-27 also strengthens health security by providing cashless medical cover up to ₹10 lakh for around 6.4 lakh state employees and pensioners under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana framework.
• This reduces out-of-pocket expenditure and enhances financial protection for government staff families.
• The budget integrates social welfare with fiscal planning, ensuring inclusive growth.
• The Gujarat Budget 2026-27 thus balances infrastructure expansion with human-centric welfare initiatives.

Facts About Gujarat

• Governor: Aachrya Devvrat (Also Governor of Maharashtra)
• Chief Minister: Bhupendra Patel
• Dept. CM: Harsh Sanghvi
• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Major Citites: Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Rajkot, Surat, Gandhinagar
• Bordering State: Rajasthan In North, Madhya Pradesh in East, Maharashtra in South
• State also has the longest coastline in India

Question

Q. What is the total outlay of Gujarat Budget 2026-27?

A) ₹3.5 lakh crore
B) ₹4.08 lakh crore
C) ₹5 lakh crore
D) ₹2.75 lakh crore