Finance Minister Maria Wilson is set to present the Tamil Nadu Budget in the Assembly on Tuesday, marking the first full budget of the TVK government led by Chief Minister Vijay.
With Assembly elections held in April, an interim budget for 2026–27 had been presented in February by then finance minister Thangam Thennarasu under the previous DMK administration. The new government has since held department-wise review meetings through last month under the Chief Minister’s leadership to prepare the full budget.
Officials said the Finance Department has drafted the budget based on inputs from industry bodies and traders, along with consultations from a panel of economic experts. Expected focus areas include new schemes to help women and youth start self-employment ventures, and initiatives such as industrial parks and estates aimed at boosting growth in backward districts.
The budget is also likely to include measures such as increasing assistance amounts for students and senior citizens. On public transport, the government is expected to decide on expanding the women’s free travel scheme beyond city buses, after transport corporations submitted a report on additional funding needs and revenue options.
In education, reports suggest announcements may include an annual incentive of Rs 8,000 for government school students entering higher education, raising the 7.5% internal reservation for government school students in medical and engineering admissions to 10%, and providing collateral-free loans up to Rs 20 lakh for higher education entrants.
