New Delhi: Clad in a magenta Kanjeevaram saree from poll-bound Tamil Nadu, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Price range speech Sunday introduced a slew of tasks for the election-bound states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam—starting from a devoted uncommon earth hall to a high-speed rail hall and turtle trails.

Final 12 months, the finance minister wore a Madhubani saree—a cultural heritage of Bihar, which was to go to the polls later that 12 months. The standard folks artwork type has its roots in Bihar’s Mithila area, drawing its identify from the Madhubani district.

“A scheme for Uncommon Earth Everlasting Magnets was launched in November 2025. We now suggest to assist the mineral-rich states of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to ascertain devoted Uncommon Earth Corridors to advertise mining, processing, analysis and manufacturing,” the finance minister introduced.

The announcement builds on an earlier scheme authorised by the Centre final 12 months in November—‘Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Uncommon Earth Everlasting Magnet’—with a monetary outlay of Rs 7,280 crore. It aimed to ascertain a 6,000-metric-tonnes-per-annum (MTPA) built-in REPM manufacturing capability in India, masking the complete chain from rare-earth oxides to completed magnets.

“By constructing a home built-in ecosystem, the transfer was supposed to reinforce self-reliance in a vital enter for electrical automobiles, renewable power techniques, electronics, aerospace and defence, and to place India as a key participant within the world REPM market,” the federal government mentioned in an announcement final 12 months.

The finance minister additionally proposed a coconut promotion scheme to extend manufacturing and enhance productiveness in main coconut-growing states, together with Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

“India is the world’s largest producer of coconuts. About 30 million folks, together with almost 10 million farmers, depend upon coconuts for his or her livelihood. To additional improve competitiveness in coconut manufacturing, I suggest a Coconut Promotion Scheme to extend manufacturing and improve productiveness by varied interventions 16 together with changing outdated and non-productive timber with new saplings/crops/varieties in main coconut rising States,” she mentioned.

The BJP has its eyes set on Tamil Nadu, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 23 January pitching the 2026 state Meeting election as a battle between “improvement and decay”, whereas highlighting how the state was prepared for a “double engine sarkar” below the NDA.

The Price range additionally proposed a devoted programme for Indian cashew and cocoa to make India self-reliant in uncooked cashew and cocoa manufacturing and processing, improve export competitiveness and remodel Indian cashew and cocoa into premium world manufacturers by 2030, the minister introduced.

Excessive-speed rail connectivity additionally bought a push with the finance minister proposing the event of seven high-speed rail corridors between main cities to enhance mobility and financial integration.

One of many corridors connecting Hyderabad and Chennai will enhance connectivity between Telangana and Tamil Nadu. Different proposed corridors embrace Varanasi-Siliguri (in West Bengal) and Delhi-Varanasi.

“To be able to promote environmentally sustainable passenger techniques, we are going to develop seven Excessive-Velocity Rail corridors between cities as ‘development connectors’, particularly i) Mumbai-Pune, ii) Pune-Hyderabad, iii) Hyderabad-Bengaluru, iv) Hyderabad-Chennai, v) Chennai-Bengaluru, vi) Delhi-Varanasi, vii) Varanasi-Siliguri,” she mentioned within the Price range speech.

The finance minister additionally proposed establishing new Devoted Freight Corridors (DFC) connecting Dankuni in West Bengal to Surat in Gujarat, creating a significant freight hyperlink between japanese and western India.

Presently, India has two operational DFCs: the Japanese DFC runs from Ludhiana to Dankuni, and the Western DFC connects Dadri with Jawaharlal Nehru Port close to Mumbai. The transfer is aimed toward enhancing the motion of products throughout the nation, notably between Gujarat and the japanese area.

The BJP has been gearing up for the West Bengal elections with Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah main from the entrance.

The finance minister, whereas stating that India has the potential to supply a world-class trekking and climbing expertise, introduced the event of ecologically sustainable mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir; Araku Valley within the Japanese Ghats and Podhigai Malai within the Western Ghats.

Aside from this, it has additionally introduced turtle trails alongside key nesting websites within the coastal areas of Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala; and bird-watching trails alongside Pulicat Lake in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

To advertise spiritual tourism, the federal government has additionally introduced plans to develop Buddhist websites within the northeastern area.

“The North-Japanese Area is a civilizational confluence of Theravada and 18 Mahayana/Vajrayana traditions. I suggest to launch a Scheme for Growth of Buddhist Circuits in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. The Scheme will cowl preservation of temples and monasteries, pilgrimage interpretation facilities, connectivity and pilgrim facilities,” she added.

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas advised the media the high-speed rail hall had been a long-standing demand of Kerala.

Opposition leaders slammed the Price range, saying its provisions excluded Kerala.

“When Kerala went forward with a mission by itself, the Centre stopped it. In between, E. Sreedharan too mentioned the Centre was planning one thing. Now, when the Union authorities introduced seven corridors, Kerala’s identify just isn’t there in any respect,” Brittas mentioned, including that the Finance Fee report, printed together with the Price range, was additionally disappointing.

He mentioned all states, together with BJP-ruled states, had demanded a 41 % share of tax devolution.

“Now, they’re speaking about coconuts. Earlier, once they created the Rubber Board, they took rubber from Kerala to different states. We don’t know what their plan is now,” Brittas mentioned.

Congress MP Okay.C. Venugopal additionally mentioned that Kerala had been ignored in key sectors equivalent to well being. He added that the state was ignored when high-speed rail corridors had been introduced in different states as nicely.

“It reveals how the Centre is seeing the state. This Price range has fully ignored Kerala. The scheme for coconut rejuvenation was began through the UPA regime. The identical applies to coir and cashew; there is no such thing as a readability on their plan,” Venugopal mentioned, including that there also needs to be readability on whether or not the uncommon earth hall would result in the entry of personal gamers into the sector.

(Edited by Sugita Katyal)

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