Nothing Specific for Punjab in the Budget: MP Vikram Sahney

Press Release
01/02/2026

Nothing Specific for Punjab in the Budget: MP Vikram Sahney

Dr. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Member of Parliament from Punjab, stated that while Union Budget 2026 has several forward-looking announcements, Punjab has not received any specific or targeted package, particularly in areas where the state urgently needs support.

Referring to agriculture, Dr. Sahney said that Punjab is at the forefront of the national challenge of crop diversification, yet the Budget offers no concrete financial or policy push for crop diversification or agri-tech, except a broad mention of AI-driven farmer intelligence systems.

Dr. Sahney further pointed out that while the Budget has announced ₹20,000 crore for the semiconductor ecosystem, the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL), Mohali, has still not received the ₹10,000 crore funding approved and announced nearly two years ago for modernisation of this facility he expressed hope that the latest announcement will finally translate into action on the ground for SCL Mohali.

Dr. Sahney stated that the announcement of national initiative for sports goods manufacturing is a welcome step and he hopes that it could benefit Jalandhar’s globally recognised sports goods industry, provided it is implemented effectively.

Similarly Dr. Sahney stated that an Integrated Textile Programme has been announced for the labour-intensive textile sector, however the real test would be that Punjab’s and especially Ludhiana’s hosiery and knitwear industry, which employs lakhs of workers should get its tangible benefits on ground.

Dr. Sahney also expressed disappointment that no special economic or border-area package was announced for Punjab, despite the state’s high debt burden and strategic border location.