Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced a new scheme to develop Buddhist circuits across several Purvodaya states in the Northeast, with the aim of promoting tourism and preserving the region’s spiritual heritage.

Presenting the Union Budget 2026–27 in the Lok Sabha, Sitharaman said the initiative will cover key Buddhist sites in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. The scheme will focus on the preservation of temples and monasteries and on strengthening cultural tourism in the region.

In a separate proposal to support industrial growth, the Finance Minister announced plans to extend the Integrated East Coast Industrial Corridor to the Northeast, with Durgapur identified as a nodal point. The proposed expansion is expected to improve infrastructure, attract investment, and create employment opportunities in the region.

Sitharaman also announced the development of five new tourism destinations in Purvodaya states and the deployment of 4,000 e-buses to improve regional connectivity.

In the health sector, the Budget proposed the establishment of NIMHANS 2.0, a national-level mental health institute in North India, along with upgrades to existing facilities in Ranchi and Tezpur. The Finance Minister said the move aims to strengthen mental health and trauma care infrastructure.

To reduce treatment costs, Sitharaman announced the exemption of basic customs duty on 17 cancer drugs and the inclusion of seven additional rare diseases under the list eligible for import duty exemption on medicines, drugs, and special foods for personal use.

The Budget also proposed a 50 per cent increase in emergency and trauma care capacity in district hospitals across the country, with the objective of improving access to critical care and reducing the financial burden on patients and their families.