By: News Reporter, Tripura24.in Agartala, Tripura Sunday, February 1, 2026
Agartala: Breaking decades of parliamentary tradition, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for the financial year 2026-27 today, Sunday, February 1st. This marks the first time in India’s history that the annual budget has been tabled on a Sunday. It is also a historic milestone for Minister Sitharaman, as she presented her ninth consecutive budget, surpassing all previous records.
In Agartala, the All Tripura Merchant Association (ATMA) gathered at their central office to watch the live broadcast of the budget session. The business community in Tripura reacted with overwhelming positivity, welcoming the government’s focus on infrastructure, MSMEs, and fiscal stability.
Key Highlights of Budget 2026-27
The “Viksit Bharat” vision remained the centerpiece of the speech. Key announcements included:
- Infrastructure Boost: A record capital expenditure (Capex) target of Rs.12.2 lakh crore, a 9% increase aimed at fueling the “Ashtalakshmi” (Northeast) growth engine.
- MSME Support: The launch of the SME Growth Fund with an initial outlay of Rs.10,000 crore to help small businesses scale globally.
- Manufacturing Push: New schemes like Biopharma Shakti and the expansion of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) 2.0.
- Tax Simplification: While income tax slabs remained unchanged, the Minister announced the rollout of the New Income Tax Act, 2025, effective from April 1, 2026, to simplify compliance.
- Relief for Middle Class: Rationalization of TDS and TCS rates, particularly reducing TCS on education and health-related foreign remittances.
Tripura Business Community Expresses Gratitude
The leadership of the All Tripura Merchant Association expressed their heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Association members noted that the continued focus on connectivity and “Ease of Doing Business” will directly benefit the traders of the Northeast.
“This is a growth-oriented budget that balances ambition with fiscal discipline. We especially appreciate the support for MSMEs, which are the backbone of Tripura’s economy,” a senior member of the association stated.
The budget session ended with the Sensex seeing a minor correction as markets digested the new Securities Transaction Tax (STT) changes, but the local sentiment in Tripura remains high with expectations of accelerated regional development under the Ashtalakshmi Model.
