Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has proposed to launch a scheme for the development of Buddhist circuits in multiple North-East states during the Budget 2026-27 presentation.
Sitharaman called the North-Eastern Region a “civilisational confluence of Theravada and Mahayana, or Vajrayana, traditions” and said the scheme will include connectivity initiatives, preservation of temples and pilgrimage interpretation centres on the circuit.
The scheme will span the states of Sikkim, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Tripura and is expected to boost tourism and connectivity in the region.
The news comes soon after the Economic Survey 2025-26 highlighted the role of the tourism sector in the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As per the estimates of the Ministry of Tourism, travel and tourism contributed 5.22 per cent to GDP in FY24, close to pre-pandemic levels. However, the survey cautioned that realising the full potential of the sector in different regions and converting it into sustained economic outcomes depends on implementation capacity at the State and local levels.
In her speech, Sitharaman proposed the development of an integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor with Durgapur, West Bengal, as a well-connected node. She also talked about the provision of 4,000 e-buses and the creation of five tourism destinations in five Purvodaya states.
This is Sitharaman's ninth consecutive Budget speech. Other proposals announced in the document include the setting up of a National Institute of Hospitality, the development of 15 archaeological sites across the country and a scheme for training guides in tourism hubs. Turtle trails along key nesting sites in Karnataka, Odisha and Kerala will also be developed. Hubs for medical tourism will also be created.
