CII Eastern Region Industry Leaders’ Response On Union Budget 2026-27
Mr Shashwat Goenka, Chairman, CII Eastern Region and Vice Chairman, RP – Sanjiv Goenka Group, said, “CII welcomes the consistency and policy stability reaffirmed in Union Budget 2026, which provides long-term visibility and confidence to businesses. The strong focus on balanced regional development, particularly the Purvodaya states and the Northeast, is encouraging. MSMEs form the backbone of the eastern region’s economy. The three-pronged approach outlined by the Hon’ble FM – focusing on liquidity, equity, and professional support, combined with measures to ease doing business, will play a crucial role in creating champion MSMEs. The proposed East Coast Industrial Corridor starting from Durgapur will strengthen India’s eastern growth engine, while the addition of 4,000 e-buses for industrial corridors will enhance regional connectivity and support sustainable mobility. We also welcome the emphasis on inclusive healthcare. The establishment of NIMHANS II institutions in Ranchi and Tezpur, along with Regional Apex Emergency and Trauma Care Institutes, will significantly improve access to quality mental health and emergency services in underserved regions. The focus on developing Buddhist heritage sites across the Northeast will help preserve cultural legacy while positioning the region as a global spiritual and cultural tourism destination.”
Mr Mehul Mohanka, Deputy Chairman, CII Eastern Region and Managing Director & Group CEO, Tega Industries Ltd. said, “CII welcomes the emphasis on rare earth permanent magnets to support mineral-rich states such as Odisha, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. The announcement on creating rare earth corridors will go a long way in promoting mining and research. The high-speed rail corridor from Varanasi to Siliguri, along with the dedicated freight corridor connecting Dankuni and Surat, will be game changers for the Eastern Region. The budget announcement to operationalise 20 new national waterways over the next five years, aimed at promoting environmentally sustainable cargo movement and connecting mineral-rich areas such as Talcher and Angul, and industrial centres like Kalinganagar, to the ports of Dhamra and Paradeep in Odisha, will strengthen multimodal connectivity, reduce logistics costs, and promote green transport. The announcement of a new National Institute of Design for the Eastern Region in Budget 2026 will be crucial in strengthening India’s design ecosystem. This initiative will help nurture world-class design education and harness the region’s immense creative talent.”
Mr Debashis Dutta, Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council and Director, BGS Group, said, “Union Budget 2026 brings a strong forward-looking push for the logistics sector, with a clear focus on coastal shipping, high-speed rail corridors as key growth connectors between cities, and the expansion of National Waterways. These initiatives are expected to create positive ripple effects across multiple industries. For West Bengal, the announcements around dedicated freight corridors and high-speed rail networks are set to be particularly impactful.”
Mr Rupak Barua, Vice Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council and Managing Director & CEO, Woodlands Hospital, noted, “The government has addressed all major sectors in this Budget, with the fiscal deficit to GDP ratio successfully brought below 4.5%. In the healthcare space, there is a clear shift in focus from therapeutic care to wellness and preventive healthcare, with renewed emphasis on Ayush. Medical Value Travel has received due attention and is poised to emerge as a major growth sector in the coming years. The introduction of Biopharma Shakti is also a welcome step, strengthening India’s life sciences and pharmaceutical ecosystem. Besides proposal for setting up a NIMHANS-2 and also upgrade National Mental Health Institutes in Ranchi and Tezpur as Regional Apex Institutions are welcomed.”
Mr Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, Past Chairman, CII Eastern Region and Chairman, Bandhan Group, opined, “Union Budget 2026–27 sends a strong positive signal for financial sector resilience, with healthy banking balance sheets paving the way for the high-level Viksit Bharat Committee. This step aligns financial intermediation with India’s growth cycle, while reforms in corporate and municipal bonds, as well as foreign investment, deepen capital markets. The ₹10,000 crore SME Growth Fund, MSME liquidity boosts via TReDS and GeM, and PFC/REC restructuring reflect CII recommendations to strengthen DFIs and credit access. Together, these measures enhance stability, efficiency, governance, and investor confidence, fueling entrepreneurship, jobs, and sustainable growth across Eastern India.”
Mr Bijay Murmuria, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Banking & Financial Services Subcommittee and Director, Sumedha Fiscal Services Ltd., said, “The Union Budget 2026–27 sends a strong positive signal for the BFSI sector. The proposed Viksit Bharat Banking Committee, capital market reforms, SME Growth Fund, MSME liquidity measures, and the restructuring of PFC and REC will strengthen financial intermediation, deepen markets, and expand credit access – reinforcing stability, efficiency, and investor confidence while enabling sustainable growth.”
Mr Prashant Sharma, Chairman, Healthcare Taskforce, CII West Bengal & Past Chairman, CII West Bengal State Council and Managing Director, Charnock Hospitals, stated, “The healthcare sector has been addressed through two key approaches. First, there is a strong push to promote traditional systems of medicine such as Ayush, with incentives aimed at boosting their growth and adoption. Second, the focus on futuristic healthcare technologies, particularly biopharma, is a timely response to the rising burden of non-communicable diseases. In addition, new Allied Health Professional (AHP) institutions will be established across both private and government sectors, covering 10 selected disciplines, further strengthening the healthcare workforce.”
Mr Ayanabh DebGupta, Co-Chairman, Healthcare Taskforce, CII West Bengal and COO & Regional Director, Manipal Hospitals, said, “Union Budget 2026 addresses major sectors, with focused support for mental health through NIMHANS-2 and the upgradation of institutes in Ranchi and Tezpur as Regional Apex Institutions. The ₹10,000 crore allocation for pharmaceutical research will accelerate domestic drug development, strengthen manufacturing, and improve medicine affordability .”
Mr Sumit Goyal, Co-Chairman, CII Eastern Region International Subcommittee and President, Patton, stated, “Budget 2026 reinforces India’s commitment to international trade by strengthening exports, enhancing global competitiveness, and deepening integration with world markets.”
Mr Vivek Bhatia, Chairman, CII National Mining and Construction Equipment Division and MD and CEO of TKIL Industries Pvt. Ltd, said, “The Union Budget lays the foundation for India’s industrial growth with ₹12.2 lakh crore capital expenditure, high-speed rail, freight corridors, and urban infrastructure. Investments in logistics, localisation, and green technologies will reduce costs and strengthen domestic value chains. With a ₹20,000 crore focus on sustainable energy, AI, and innovation, India can combine scale, technology, and sustainability for global competitiveness. Improved financing through the SME Growth Fund and TReDS will accelerate execution. We see this as a key moment to deepen indigenisation, adopt sustainable technologies, and position India as a cost-efficient, future-ready manufacturing hub.”
Mr Prithish Chowdhary, Co-Chairman, CII Eastern Region Manufacturing Subcommittee and Joint Managing Director, Titagarh Rail System Ltd., noted, “Budget 2026’s seven high-speed rail corridors, maritime thrust, bolstering shipbuilding, repair, and MRO, plus duty exemptions on aviation parts will accelerate vessel turnarounds, ignite high-value manufacturing, generate skilled jobs, and propel India to global logistics leadership.”
Mr Rohit Sarkar, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Startup Subcommittee and Co-Founder, Distronix, said, “The scale-up of the electronics manufacturing scheme to ₹40,000 crore signals a major policy shift from OSAT to a design-led, full semiconductor value chain approach. This will unlock significant opportunities for MSMEs and startups to drive higher local value addition and build indigenous semiconductor IP over the next 3–5 years.”
Mr Pradip Agarwal, CEO, Heritage Group of Institutions, said, “Union Budget 2026-27’s skilling initiatives like SAMARTH 2.0, ISM 2.0, and a new National Institute of Design in Eastern India, will boost workforce development and innovation. University townships near industrial corridors will strengthen industry-academia links, supporting employment, inclusion, and sustainable growth. CII welcomes this balanced push for a future-ready economy.”
Ms Vinita Bajoria, Chairperson, NICCO CABLES, noted, “The Union Budget’s three-pronged strategy for championing SMEs underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening MSMEs as India’s industrial backbone. The proposed ₹10,000-crore SME Growth Fund and expanded Self-Reliant India Fund will enhance access to risk capital, helping enterprises scale, innovate, and compete globally. Measures such as mandated TReDS, strengthened credit guarantees, GeM-linked financing, and receivables-based securitisation aim to improve timely and affordable MSME finance. The focus on inland waterways will lower logistics costs, promote greener transport, and boost economic growth, especially in eastern India..”
Mr Ramesh Agarwal, Whole-time Director, Rupa & Company Ltd., said, “Union Budget 2026–27 provides a strong boost to labour-intensive textiles, handicrafts, and handlooms through the National Fibre Scheme, Mega Textile Parks, National Handloom and Handicrafts Programme, and the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj initiative. A five-point plan covering fibre strengthening, cluster modernisation, artisan support, innovation, and skilling will enhance competitiveness, boost exports, and create large-scale employment, empowering artisans and scaling ODOP-linked livelihoods.”
Dr Sudipta Narayan Roy, Chairman, CII Eastern Region Ayush Subcommittee and Managing Director, Powell Group, noted, “Budget 2026 aims to position India as a medical tourism hub with five regional integrated healthcare hubs through PPPs, combining medical, Ayush, education, research, and wellness facilities. The establishment of three new All India Institutes of Ayurveda further promotes India’s traditional medicine globally.”
Mr Prosenjit Sengupta, Chairman, CII Eastern Region ICT Subcommittee and Group CDIO ITC Ltd, opined, “I congratulate the Government of India for strengthening the country’s technology and innovation ecosystem in this year’s Union Budget. ISM 2.0 with ₹40,000 crore and the ₹10,000 crore ‘Shakti’ initiative will boost semiconductor manufacturing, chip design, and supply chain resilience. The Budget also advances digital infrastructure, AI integration, and research through the National Quantum Mission, Anusandhan Fund, and R&D Innovation Fund, underscoring India’s commitment to technological growth and a future-ready workforce.”
Mr Ravi Todi, Chairman, Mining and Construction Equipment Division – Eastern Region and Managing Director, BTL EPC Ltd, stated, “The Budget’s emphasis on critical minerals and mining creates fresh momentum for the mining and construction equipment sector, accelerating demand for advanced machinery, indigenous manufacturing, and technology-led growth.”
