Finance Minister chairs pre-budget consultation with States, UTs ahead of 2026–27 Union Budget

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday chaired the pre-Budget consultation meeting with States and Union Territories (with legislatures) for the forthcoming Union Budget 2026–27 in New Delhi.

The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary , the Governor of Manipur , Chief Ministers of Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya and Sikkim , Deputy Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana , Finance Ministers of States and UTs , Secretaries of the Departments of Economic Affairs, Expenditure and Revenue , and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance .

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant highlighted key demands from his state. “We specifically requested the continuation of central schemes, increased support for the tourism sector, and funds for the health sector. Infrastructure development for Kushavati, our newly created district, was also discussed. In addition, we have proposed special projects in renewable energy and sought redevelopment of the Konkan Railway,” he said.

Sawant noted that the 15th Finance Commission had recommended Rs 700 crore in state-specific grants for Goa, including Rs 500 crore for climate change and Rs 200 crore for tourism, and the state would seek higher allocations from the 16th Finance Commission . Like Goa, several states are expected to push for larger state-specific funds, rural development grants, GST compensation, climate resilience support, and sectoral investments to meet regional and sectoral priorities.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a pre-Budget meeting with leading economists, which included Finance Minister Sitharaman , NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery , and other eminent economists. The discussions focused on key priorities and inputs for the upcoming Union Budget.

Earlier, Sitharaman held 10 rounds of pre-Budget consultations , engaging representatives and experts from sectors including agriculture, MSMEs, capital markets, startups, manufacturing, BFSI, information technology, tourism and hospitality, and trade unions . Stakeholders presented their recommendations, challenges, and expectations, with discussions centred on economic growth, employment generation, investment, technological advancement, industrial competitiveness, financial sector stability, labour welfare, and sustainable development .

Pre-Budget consultations allow the Union Finance Ministry to incorporate regional and sectoral priorities, allocate funds effectively, ensure cooperative federalism, and make informed policy decisions . States’ participation is particularly critical for designing state-specific grants, sectoral schemes, and development projects , and for ensuring the Budget is inclusive and aligned with local needs .

The Union Budget is traditionally presented on February 1 , and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present the Union Budget 2026–27 in Parliament on the same day.