Mizoram budget session starts on February 17; marriage, property bills to be tabled

Aizawl: The upcoming Mizoram budget session, scheduled to commence on February 17, is expected to continue until March 12, according to Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama.

Chief Minister Lalduhoma, who holds the finance portfolio, is likely to present the state’s annual budget for the 2026–27 financial year after February 20, he said.

Lalbiakzama said the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) met on Thursday to discuss the detailed programme for the upcoming session.

While the session is tentatively scheduled to conclude on March 12, the Speaker said the BAC may meet mid-session to review the duration.

The presentation of the annual budget, originally slated for February 19, will be rescheduled at the next BAC meeting, he said.

This follows a request from the Chief Minister, who cited ongoing budget preparations necessitated by the presentation of the Union Budget on February 1, Lalbiakzama said.

Financial experts anticipate positive changes to Mizoram’s 2026–27 fiscal outlook following the Union Budget, which raised the state’s share of central taxes and duties by 23.59 per cent.

This marks an increase from Rs 6,964.85 crore in the 2025–26 fiscal year to Rs 8,608.08 crore for the upcoming year.

Lalduhoma had previously noted that a substantial jump in the state’s share of the central tax divisible pool, from 0.5 per cent to 0.564 per cent, will bolster state revenue.

He estimated that the state’s annual revenue would increase by approximately Rs 1,500 crore compared to previous years.

The Chief Minister also said that allocations for various schemes, including Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) and grants for rural and urban local bodies, are expected to rise.

However, the state may face fiscal challenges as the Post Devolution Revenue Deficit Grant (PDRDG) and several sector-specific grants, including those for road funds and police modernisation, will be phased out in the next financial year.

These have historically been vital financial sources for the centrally dependent state.

The upcoming session marks the sixth session of the 9th State Assembly since the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) government, headed by Lalduhoma, assumed power on December 8, 2023.

According to an official, the Assembly Secretariat has received 793 starred questions and 305 unstarred questions to be addressed by the respective ministers during the session.

Additionally, the secretariat has received three amendment bills for presentation, including the Mizo Marriage, Divorce and Inheritance Property (Amendment) Bill and the Mizoram Local Bodies (Amendment) Bill, he said.