Haryana Budget 2025-26: A Needonomics Lens on Fiscal Priorities

Prof. Madan Mohan Goel, Former Vice-Chancellor

(Asian independent) As an advocate of Needonomics, I consider it my moral duty to provide an objective analysis of the Haryana Budget 2025-26, presented by Chief Minister and Finance Minister Nayab Singh Saini. The comprehensive 80-page budget speech in Hindi, structured under 161 headings, offers a sense of satisfaction to a Needonomist’s analytical perspective.

With a total budget of ₹2,05,017.29 crore, comprising ₹1,48,416.59 crore (72.39%) in revenue expenditure and ₹56,600.70 crore (27.61%) in capital expenditure, the budget reflects a 13.70% increase from the revised estimate of ₹1,80,313.57 crore for 2024-25. The absence of new taxes is commendable, yet achieving pragmatic goals hinges on the efficient allocation of resources. Revenue receipts stand at ₹1,27,816.84 crore, marking a 13.49% increase from ₹1,12,624.40 crore in 2024-25.

To ensure Haryana remains competitive and resilient, the 2025-26 budget embraces forward-thinking strategies rooted in Needonomics—prioritizing necessity over excess, fostering responsible governance, and promoting sustainable development. Six key proposals define this vision:

1. Department of the Future – A transformative initiative aimed at making Haryana ‘future-capable’ by anticipating challenges and leveraging opportunities for long-term prosperity. This department must function within the Needonomics framework, ensuring need-based policies, efficient resource allocation, and sustainable growth.
2. Haryana AI – A step toward technological self-reliance, integrating artificial intelligence in governance, education, and economic efficiency while maintaining ethical considerations and aligning with societal needs.
3. SANKALP (Substance Abuse & Narcotics Knowledge, Awareness & Liberation Program Authority) – A targeted initiative to combat substance abuse through awareness, rehabilitation, and strict enforcement, ensuring a healthier and more productive society.
4. Encouraging Private Investment – Mobilizing ₹2,000 crore in private investment under the Fund of Funds to foster entrepreneurship, employment, and inclusive economic growth based on need-driven priorities.
5. Eradicating the ‘Dunki Route’ – Strengthening the Haryana Overseas Employment Cell and Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam under the Foreign Cooperation Department to facilitate legal and safe employment pathways abroad, preventing illegal migration and ensuring dignified livelihoods.
6. Mission Haryana-2047 – A strategic roadmap aligning economic growth with sustainability, equity, and governance reforms to build a resilient and future-ready Haryana.

By embedding the principles of Needonomics in these initiatives, Haryana can emerge as a model state for sustainable, need-based development, ensuring prosperity without waste and growth without excess.

The budget reflects the government’s commitment to agriculture, rural development, health, education, welfare activities, and infrastructure.

Key highlights include:

Higher Education and Research Initiatives

1. Expansion of Model Sanskriti Colleges – Establishing one college per district is a commendable step toward quality higher education. However, success depends on faculty recruitment, infrastructure development, and curriculum enhancement.
2. Haryana State Research Fund – The ₹20 crore allocation for research is a positive step but may be insufficient given the number of universities and colleges. Clear guidelines for fund disbursement and project outcomes are necessary.
3. Women in STEM – The Kalpana Chawla Scholarship Scheme offers ₹1 lakh per year to female students in science and engineering. However, mentorship programs and career guidance are crucial for maximizing its impact.
4. Fee Waivers for Girls in B.Sc. Courses – While waiving tuition fees for girls from low-income families is beneficial, limiting it to B.Sc. courses excludes fields like commerce, humanities, and technical education.
5. Mandatory Industry-Academia Collaboration – This initiative fosters real-world exposure. Successful implementation requires active industry participation, possibly through incentives.
6. Learn and Earn Model – Converting 10% of courses into skill-based earning models with a ₹6,000 monthly stipend is commendable, but the ₹36 crore budget may be inadequate. Transparent selection criteria are essential.

Challenges and Gaps

1. Vocational Education & Credit Portability – Aligning academic credits with industry standards is crucial for broader recognition and employability.
2. Financial Incentives for World Skills Olympic Medalists – Offering ₹10 lakh in cash prizes and additional support for entrepreneurship is positive, but continuous mentorship and skill-building programs are needed.
3. Internship Stipend for Final-Year Students – Providing ₹10,000 per month for 2,000 students is restrictive. Expanding the program or encouraging private sector participation could enhance its effectiveness.
4. Public Access to Institutional Libraries, Labs & Workshops – While promoting community learning is beneficial, concerns regarding security, maintenance costs, and regulation of access must be addressed.
5. Upgradation of Engineering Institutes to Haryana Institute of Technology (HIT) – Establishing HIT in Nilokheri and Panniwala Mota is beneficial, but faculty upskilling, research support, and industry tie-ups are essential for academic excellence.
6. Competition-Based Funding for Polytechnic Institutes – Encouraging competition is advantageous, but financially weaker institutions may struggle. Transparent evaluation criteria are necessary.

Recommendations from the Needonomics School of Thought

1. Ensure efficient fund allocation and monitoring for research projects.
2. Expand fee waivers and internship benefits to a broader range of students.
3. Strengthen industry-academia partnerships with incentives for industry participation.
4. Develop sustainable support systems, including mentorship and incubation for scholarship and entrepreneurship beneficiaries.
5. Ensure fair and transparent selection criteria for all financial aid and incentive programs.

Conclusion

The Haryana Budget 2025-26 introduces progressive initiatives aimed at improving higher education, research, industry collaboration, and financial support for students. However, challenges related to implementation, funding adequacy, and policy execution must be addressed to achieve the desired outcomes. By embedding Needonomics into policymaking, Haryana can achieve sustainable, inclusive, and forward-thinking development.

Citizens must actively contribute to economic sustainability by linking public utility pricing to inflation, ensuring financial sustainability in line with the Needonomics approach. Meaningful progress depends on embracing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s canons of public expenditure, which emphasize that government resources collected from the public must be spent with faithfulness, wisdom, and economy. Transparency, efficiency, and public trust must guide Haryana’s expenditure policies, fostering sustainable development.

Adopting MSP—Minimum Needs, Support Needs, and Protect Needs—within the Needonomics framework can pave the way for a balanced and prosperous Haryana. By embracing street SMART governance (Simple, Moral, Action-oriented, Responsive, and Transparent), the state can cultivate a culture of worry-free work and sustainable progress. Haryana’s youth, its greatest asset, must be empowered through holistic, Needonomics-driven policies, transforming the state into a model of sustainable and inclusive development.