Union Budget 2026-27: Yuva Shakti and Creative Economy Lead the Charge Toward Viksit Bharat
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget 2026-27, her ninth consecutive presentation, positions India’s youth and creative talent as central drivers of long-term growth. Dubbed a Yuva Shakti-driven roadmap, the budget emphasizes skilling in emerging creative fields, bridging education to employment, boosting women’s entrepreneurship, and advancing sustainable manufacturing and infrastructure—all while maintaining fiscal prudence with a projected deficit of 4.3% of GDP and capital expenditure at ₹12.2 lakh crore.
Key announcements include setting up AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics) Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges with ₹250 crore support through the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), Mumbai. This initiative aims to professionalize content creation, address the projected need for 2 million professionals in the sector by 2030, and nurture future-ready digital skills.
Manjul Wadhwa, Founder & CEO, Anagram Media Labs & Inflyx, hailed the move as a foundational step:
“The move to introduce content creator labs in schools is a significant and encouraging step. While there can be mixed views on how early this should begin, it clearly signals an intent to make content creation more professional, much like any other structured discipline taught through labs. What’s important is that the government has started investing in skilling infrastructure, such as funding the Indian Creative Technology Institute in Mumbai to set up content creator labs. This focuses on giving creators access to professional resources and preparation, rather than leaving content creation completely unstructured. This is a meaningful first step towards upskilling creators and setting a professional benchmark for the ecosystem. Financial formalisation and income recognition can follow, but preparing creators to meet professional standards is the right place to begin.”
Dr. Pallavi Rao Chaturvedi, Parenting Coach & Educationist, Get Set Parent; Executive Vice President AISECT, underscored the broader societal impact:
“The proposal for schools to implement Content Creator and AVGC lab programs is a progressive step that reflects how deeply digital content now shapes children’s creative expression. Structured exposure to animation, gaming, and visual storytelling will not only nurture creativity but also build essential skills such as concentration, collaboration, and mindful screen engagement. These are future-ready competencies that will support children throughout their schooling and open pathways to emerging creative careers. Equally significant is the introduction of Self-Help Entrepreneur (SHE) Marts. By creating community-owned retail outlets run by women entrepreneurs and self-help groups, the Budget places children in an ecosystem where they can see real-world examples of women leading, managing enterprises, and driving change. This provides them with meaningful social and economic role models while reinforcing a strong connection between education, entrepreneurship, and social confidence. Together, these initiatives shape a learning environment that encourages creativity, independence, and aspiration.”
The budget further strengthens education as a national growth engine through a high-powered standing committee for education-to-employment alignment, university townships near industry corridors, City Economic Regions, and one girls’ hostel per district in STEM institutions to boost women’s participation in science and technology.
Prof. M. A. Venkataramanan, Pro-Vice Chancellor, FLAME University, described the vision:
“The Union Budget 2026 clearly signals a shift from education as a standalone sector to education as a national growth engine. By strengthening education-to-employment alignment through a high-powered standing committee, investing in university townships near industry corridors, and empowering City Economic Regions, the government is building ecosystems where learning, research, and enterprise reinforce each other. This creates an urgent demand for graduates who can think across disciplines, apply knowledge in real-world contexts, and work at the intersection of technology, policy, sustainability, and society. At FLAME University, our interdisciplinary, experiential learning model is designed precisely for this moment—where capital expenditure, infrastructure expansion, and services-led growth require adaptable, globally-relevant talent. Continued investment in frontier research infrastructure, including four national astronomy and telescope facilities, strengthens India’s global academic standing and opens new avenues for international research collaboration. Equally transformative are structural enablers such as capital support for one girls’ hostel in every district for STEM institutions, which addresses access, safety, and long-term retention of women in science and technology. Simplifying tax compliance for faculty and researchers further strengthens global academic mobility. Together, these measures reposition our universities as engines of employability, innovation, and global engagement, preparing our multidisciplinary graduates and research leaders who can meaningfully contribute to India’s economic and knowledge ambitions through 2047 and beyond.”
On the manufacturing and sustainability front, the budget advances self-reliance through expanded national waterways, high-speed rail corridors, carbon capture technologies (with ₹20,000 crore over five years for energy-intensive sectors like steel and cement), and incentives for advanced manufacturing.
Mr. Shiozawa Kazuyuki, Managing Director, TOTO India, welcomed the green and connectivity push:
“India’s Union Budget reinforces a powerful vision for self-reliant growth. Anchored in advanced manufacturing, green infrastructure, and seamless connectivity. The focus on expanding national waterways, developing high-speed rail corridors, and investing in carbon capture technologies signals a decisive move toward a low-carbon, logistics-efficient economy that global manufacturers strongly welcome. For companies like TOTO, which have invested in world-class manufacturing in India, these measures create an enabling ecosystem. Strengthening supply chains, improving inter-city connectivity, and accelerating the transition to sustainable industrial practices. The proposed carbon capture programme across energy-intensive sectors such as steel and cement is particularly encouraging, as it reflects the government’s commitment to innovation-driven decarbonization. Equally important is the emphasis on employment generation and household prosperity, which fuels long-term domestic demand for high-quality. As India advances its Aatmanirbhar ambitions, TOTO India remains committed to supporting the nation’s sustainability goals through cutting-edge technology, local manufacturing excellence, and solutions that enhance everyday living for Indian consumers.”
The budget also supports consumer-led and ethical sectors through the ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund, export reforms, and R&D incentives.
Ricky Vasandani, CEO & Co-Founder, Solitario, highlighted benefits for innovation-driven businesses:
“Budget 2026 sends a strong signal for sectors driven by advanced manufacturing, ethical sourcing, and consumer-led growth. Measures such as the continued focus on retail-led demand, the ₹1.4 lakh crore allocation towards growth-oriented priorities, and the ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund under the ‘Champion SMEs’ initiative are expected to improve access to capital for innovation-driven businesses, while targeted tax reforms under the new regime could support consumption in discretionary categories. Equally impactful are the export-focused reforms, including faster and low-intervention customs processes, duty rationalisation, and exemptions on capital goods linked to critical mineral processing. Alongside the sustained emphasis on R&D and responsible adoption of advanced technologies, these steps create a more enabling environment for lab-grown diamond and ethical luxury manufacturers to scale responsibly, strengthen global competitiveness, and contribute meaningfully to India’s vision of Viksit Bharat.”
Overall, the Union Budget 2026-27 charts an ambitious yet disciplined path: harnessing youth creativity, empowering women entrepreneurs via SHE Marts, aligning education with industry needs, and building sustainable manufacturing ecosystems. Industry voices see it as a forward-looking blueprint for inclusive, innovation-led growth, with success depending on effective rollout across schools, universities, and industries in the coming years.
Last Updated on: Wednesday, February 4, 2026 10:26 pm by Republic Post Team | Published by: Republic Post Team on Wednesday, February 4, 2026 10:26 pm | News Categories: News, India
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