Maharashtra Budget 2026: Key Highlights to Check Out

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra fadnavis presented the Maharashtra Budget 2026 on Friday. In the absence of the Finance Minister, a portfolio handled by the late Ajit Pawar, who passed away in a plane crash on January 28, the responsibility has been taken up by the CM.

In one of the biggest announcements for the state where the farmers were dealing with the aftermath of the rains, CM announced a loan waiver for farmers. As per the announcements, till September 3, 2025, loans of up to Rs. 2 Lakh will be waived off under the Punyashlok Ahilyabai Holkar farmers’ loan waiver Scheme.

Here are some other major announcements to check out from the budget:

• With a focus on scrapping old vehicles, the CM announced that the owners who scrap vehicles with BS-4 and higher emission norms and purchase new vehicles will get a 16% concession in motor vehicle tax. Those crapping BS-3 and older vehicles and buying new ones will get a 30% concession.
• "World-class" startup and innovation hub to be established on 130 acres of land in Wadala.
•  Work on three stations between Thane and Talasari on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train route to be completed by February 2027, and there will be plans to develop areas around Virar, Boisar and Thane bullet train stations.
• After the third Mumbai announcement, a fourth Mumbai (4.0) has been announced, which will be built in Vadhan, Palghar and plans will be created for the redevelopment of 20 lakh slum houses and the development of 10 lakh affordable houses through the Slum Rehabilitation Authority.
• In the tourism front, the Ropeway project at Vasota Fort in Satara has been announced. There is a development plan for the 5 Jyotirlinga pilgrimage sites in the state. Alongside, Pandharpur Temple Development Plan Phase 1, which nears completion, will see the next phase in progress. Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation to upgrade infrastructure at 50 tourist destinations on the occasion of its golden jubilee.

• The state will implement ‘Maharashtra Natural Farming Mission’, aiming to produce healthy and nutritious produce and to bring 5 lakh hectares of area under natural farming.
• 'Rural Livestock Entrepreneur Scheme' to empower women farmers in the animal husbandry sector, while the Chief Minister’s Fisheries Scheme will be implemented with a provision of Rs. 1,240 crore annually for the benefits of fish traders and creation of infrastructure.
• Under 'Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana', additional subsidy will be provided for installing solar panels on the roofs of 27,87,000 houses sanctioned under (Rural) Phase 2.
•  Agriculture Data Exchange and AI-enabled Sandbox to be launched to secure storage and exchange of data, for the promotion of research and innovation.
• A chatbot named Mahavistar - AI is launched, aiming to cater to 30 lakh farmers, to guide them in their dialect, provide them with accurate weather forecasts, information on plant diseases, and keep track of market prices and markets.
• A Naturopathy centre will come up in Satara. 
• Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana will continue, for which the CM said that there is no increase in the instalment.
• Maharashtra Global Competence Centre (GCC) Policy has been announced to provide 400 new competency centres, aiming to create 4 lakh job opportunities. 
• A new mining highway network to be developed under which the plan is to make Gadchiroli the New Steel Hub, investing Rs. 2,62,000 crore and expected to create over 70,000 jobs through large/super large steel industries. 
• Under the Industry sector, the State government plans to develop a digital platform- ‘Invest Maharashtra’ for the development of the industrial sector. 
• Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Commissionerate and Services Commissionerate will be established with a major aim to create 50 lakh direct jobs in the manufacturing and services sectors.
• The state has allocated Rs. 20,000 for solar power for farmers under which rooftop solar systems will be installed, and subsidies will be provided.
• Over 1,000 kms of metro tracks and 6,000 kms of two-lane highways will be constructed, as per the announcements.
• Maharashtra Govt will also implement pilot project in 75 villages by using AI to "upgrade the lives of people".