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FM Nirmala Sitharaman said only Rs 37,000 crore was left unspent in 14 social sector schemes in the last 10 years, as compared to Rs 94,000 crore during UPA regime
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on February 12, 2026. (Image: Sansad TV/PTI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday denied allegations that funds for central schemes were being denied to certain states.
Sitharaman said only Rs 37,000 crore was left unspent in 14 social sector schemes in the last 10 years, as compared to Rs 94,000 crore during UPA regime.
She said this boosts India’s confidence for planning the next two decades, keeping in mind Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat 2047′ vision.
“Steps taken in Budget prove our resolve to build a resilient, self-reliant India. There has been no denial or stoppage of funds to states on any scheme,” Sitharaman said while addressing the Rajya Sabha.
While talking about central funding for states, Sitharaman singled out West Bengal especially after her strong response in the Lok Sabha to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s allegations on the same matter. She said the state has been placed at the centre of the Union Budget 2026 under the government’s ‘Purvodaya’ (Rise of the East) strategy.
In a post on X, the Union minister shared a video of her response in the Lok Sabha to allegations that certain states were excluded from budget allocations. She termed as “misinformation” the claim that Bengal had been ignored in the Budget and highlighted several announcements that would directly benefit the state.
‘RARE GOLDILOCKS MOMENT’
Sitharaman said the Budget 2026 has come at a rare moment for India’s economy, where strong growth and low inflation are being achieved together.
She described this phase as a “Goldilocks moment” and said it was the result of sustained effort, careful planning and timely policy action, not chance.
“According to the first advance estimates released by the National Statistical Office, India’s real GDP growth is projected at 7.4 percent for 2025-26, while nominal growth is estimated at around 8 per cent,” she said. “At the same time, consumer price inflation has softened to nearly 2 per cent and has remained under control for a continuous period.”
Highlighting steps to develop human capital, Sitharaman further said the Centre has set a target of creating one lakh allied health professionals over the next five years.
“An outlay of Rs 1,000 crore has been provided for this initiative in the current year. This move would not only create jobs but also strengthen health services and support the growth of medical tourism,” she said, also announcing the formation of a high-powered education-to-employment and enterprise standing committee.
She said this panel will focus on preparing India’s youth for the services sector, with the goal of capturing 10 percent of the global services market by 2047.
“Key areas of focus will include IT, fintech, logistics, healthcare, tourism and creative services,” she said. “The panel will work on addressing skill gaps, infrastructure needs and credit constraints, while suggesting reforms in standards, accreditation and digital regulation. This would help expand exports in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud services and professional services.”
(With agency inputs)
February 12, 2026, 18:15 IST
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