State PCS - Haryana (HCS)

• 03 Mar 2026

Haryana Budget 2026-27

Why in News?

The Chief Minister of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, presented the Haryana Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the state assembly with a total outlay of ₹2.23 lakh crore.

Key Points:

• Budget Outlay: The total Budget for 2026–27 has been pegged at ₹2,23,658.17 crore, marking an increase of 10.3 percent over the revised expenditure of ₹2,02,816.66 crore for 2025–26. 

• This reflects the government’s emphasis on expanded development expenditure while maintaining fiscal discipline.

• Fiscal Position: 

  • Fiscal Deficit: ₹40,293.17 crore (2.65% of GSDP).
  • Capital Expenditure: ₹28,205 crore
  • Effective Capital Expenditure: ₹35,216 crore
• Sector-wise Allocations:
  • Agriculture & Allied Services: ₹8,319.77 crore (↑ 8.74 percent)
  • Education & Sports: ₹23,603.69 crore (↑ 10.46 percent)
  • Health, Medical Education & Family Welfare: ₹14,007.28 crore (↑ 21.73 percent)
  • Social Justice, Backward Classes and Antyodaya (SEWA): ₹17,250.72 crore (↑ 15.74 percent).
  • Women & Child Development: ₹2,263.29 crore (↑ 14.91 percent).
  • Rural Development & Panchayats: ₹8,703.74 crore (↑ 22.88 percent).
  • Transport & Civil Aviation: ₹4,116.13 crore (↑ 12.63 percent).
  • Urban Local Bodies & Town Planning: ₹6,797.57 crore (↑ 24.86 percent).
  • Environment, Forest & Climate Change: ₹741.55 crore (↑ ~32 percent).
  • Public Health Engineering (Drinking Water): ₹5,912.02 crore (↑ 8.10 percent).
  • Public Works (Roads & Bridges): ₹6,096.35 crore.
  • Revenue, Disaster Management & Land Records: ₹4,024.28 crore (↑ 84.53 percent).
  • Energy Department: ₹6,868 crore
• Fiscal Management & Debt Position: Fiscal deficit increased by only 2.75% between 2014-2024, compared to a 44% rise during the previous government’s tenure.
• Clean Air & Environmental Initiatives:
  • The World Bank has approved a ₹2,716 crore grant to support the Haryana Clean Air Project, aimed at improving air quality across the state.
  • Additional approvals include ₹5,715 crore for the ‘Water Secure Haryana’ initiative and approximately ₹474 crore for the ‘Haryana AI Mission’. 
  • The project aims at strengthening monitoring systems, urban emission control, and sustainable transport solutions.
• Capital Expenditure & Future Departments:
  • A provision of ₹28,205 crore has been earmarked as capital expenditure, accounting for about 12.6 % of the total budget, focusing on infrastructure and growth.
  • Funds of about ₹1,837.65 crore have been allocated to departments to prepare them for future-ready initiatives.
• Industry, Commerce & MSME Emphasis:
  • Allocation for the Industry, Commerce and MSME sector was increased to ₹1,950.92 crore, a jump of nearly 46.9%, aimed at attracting investment, encouraging enterprise growth, and expanding employment opportunities for youth

• Health Sector Initiatives:
  • The government announced free HPV vaccination for girls aged 14–15 years through district and sub-divisional hospitals, benefiting nearly 3 lakh adolescents.
  • Strengthening of district and sub-divisional healthcare infrastructure.
  • Focus on preventive healthcare and maternal-child health services.
• Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare:
  • A new Haryana Agriculture Discom has been proposed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to agricultural feeders and consumers, aiding farmers in rural areas.
  • The budget for the Irrigation and Water Resources Department has been enhanced to ₹6,446.57 crore (↑ 14.83 percent), supporting farm infrastructure and water security.
  • Mandatory meetings of Gram Sabhas have been included to address issues like water supply, pollution, drugs and public welfare at the village level.
  • Support for crop diversification and sustainable farming methods.

• Water & Climate Resilience:
  • Approval of ₹5,715 crore for the Water Secure Haryana initiative to improve water conservation, groundwater recharge, and irrigation efficiency.
  • Green Climate Resilience Fund: A new state-level fund with an initial corpus of ₹100 crore was established to meet net-zero targets.
  • Focus on climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainable agricultural practices.

• Technology & Innovation:
  • Allocation of around ₹474 crore for the Haryana AI Mission, promoting Artificial Intelligence applications in governance, agriculture, and industry.
  • Push for digital governance and tech-driven public service delivery.
• Employment & Skill Development:
  • Agniveer Quota: The CM announced a 20% reservation for Agniveers in Haryana Police recruitment.
  • Increased allocation for skill training programmes to improve youth employability.
  • Support for start-ups and MSMEs to generate employment.
  • Promotion of rural employment schemes.
• Education & Youth Development:
  • Establishment of modern examination centres (Adarsh Pariksha Kendras) under PPP mode.
  • Upgradation of sports infrastructure and encouragement of youth participation in sports.
• Governance & Rural Development:
  • Mandatory Gram Sabha meetings to address issues of water, sanitation, drug abuse and welfare schemes.
  • strengthening Panchayati Raj Institutions for decentralized development.
• Disaster Management & Security:
  • Proposal for strengthening the State Disaster Response framework.
  • Enhanced coordination for disaster preparedness and emergency response.
• Socio-economic Impact and Outlook: The CM emphasized that the Budget is formulated to accelerate employment creation, social justice, investment growth, women empowerment, youth opportunities, and basic infrastructure provision like drinking water and rural connectivity to improve citizens’ quality of life.
• Vision for Haryana’s Future: The Budget supports the government’s broader aim to position Haryana as a progressive state with balanced economic growth, high standards of living, and an enabling environment for industry, agriculture, and human development — contributing to the national goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047.

India's First State Innovation Mission Launched in Tripura

Why in News?

The Government of Tripura has launched its first State Innovation Mission (SIM) under the umbrella of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), a flagship innovation initiative of the NITI Aayog.

Key Points:

• Objective: Tripura’s SIM was formally launched to enhance innovation capacity, support entrepreneurial ventures, and foster an ecosystem that nurtures youth talent across sectors such as science, technology, and digital innovation.
  • The mission aligns with the AIM’s objectives of transforming Tripura into a vibrant hub for innovation by creating enabling infrastructure and promoting collaboration among innovators, academia, start‑ups, and industry.
• Focus: The mission emphasizes empowering young innovators, facilitating incubation support, encouraging patenting and commercialization of ideas, and attracting investments in emerging technologies.
• T‑NEST Incubator: As part of the initiative, the existing Tripura Natural Environment & Sustainable Technologies (T‑NEST) has been designated as an AIM Atal Incubation Centre (AIC), providing mentorship, funding support, and office space for start‑ups and early‑stage ventures.
• Public‑Private Partnerships: The mission intends to leverage partnerships with private sector firms, research institutions and investors to bridge the gap between technical expertise and market needs.
• Impact: The mission is expected to catalyse economic development in Tripura, generate employment opportunities, and strengthen the state’s contribution to India’s innovation landscape.

Read More: Atal Innovation Mission,  NITI Aayog,  Start‑ups

Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan Appointed Head of Manipur Violence Probe

Why in News?

The Government of India has appointed former SC Judge Balbir Singh Chauhan as the new chairperson of the Commission of Inquiry probing the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in May 2023.

Key Points:

• Appointment: The Centre has named Justice Balbir Singh Chauhan as the new chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into the Manipur ethnic violence.
  • The appointment follows the resignation of retired Justice Ajai Lamba, former chief justice of the Gauhati High Court.
• Mandate: The Commission of Inquiry was constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to investigate the ethnic violence that broke out in Manipur in May 2023, examine its causes, the role of authorities and factors that allowed the conflict to escalate, and suggest measures to prevent recurrence.
• Focus Areas: Examines allegations of human rights violations, displacement, property damage, and communal tensions.
• Background: The ethnic clashes in Manipur, involving the majority Meitei community and tribal Kuki communities, resulted in numerous fatalities and displacement, prompting the establishment of the inquiry panel to ensure accountability and restoration of peace.
• Significance: The reconstitution of the inquiry panel reflects the Centre’s intention to enhance the credibility and effectiveness of the investigation into one of India’s most serious instances of ethnic violence in recent years. 

Read More: Manipur Violence

NIELIT to Establish India’s First Dedicated Quantum & AI University

Why in News?

The National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Andhra Pradesh to set up India’s first university campus exclusively focused on Quantum Technologies and Artificial Intelligence in Amaravati. 

Key Points:

• MoU Signing: The MoU was signed on 20 February 2026 at the India AI Impact Summit to develop a deep‑tech academic hub that combines research, education, and innovation in frontier technologies.
  • The Amaravati campus will serve as a national centre of excellence for research and higher studies in quantum computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and allied deep‑tech domains.
• Academic Programmes: It will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD programmes in specialised areas including quantum algorithms, AI & machine learning, quantum communication, cybersecurity, and high‑performance computing.
  • The campus will host advanced research laboratories, industry‑linked Centres of Excellence (CoEs), and support deep‑tech incubation and entrepreneurship with global collaborations.
• Strategic Importance: This initiative aligns with India’s National Quantum Mission and AI strategy, reinforcing the government’s focus on technology-driven growth.
• Significance: The Amaravati Quantum & AI University campus will be India’s first institutionally dedicated academic hub exclusively for quantum technologies and artificial intelligence. 

Read More:  India AI Impact Summit, Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, Amaravati Quantum Valley