Tamil Nadu’s Budget 2026 has announced a series of department-wise initiatives spanning school education, highways, cooperation, social welfare and higher education, with fresh allocations for infrastructure, safety and targeted assistance.
In school education, the government will roll out the “Super Clean, Super Campus” programme in 10,000 government schools at a cost of Rs 139 crore. A separate “School Completion” initiative will upgrade infrastructure in 3,734 schools with an outlay of Rs 2,132 crore. The budget also sets aside Rs 25 crore to revamp the school curriculum, and proposes residential “Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Special Schools.” Anti-drug measures include forming committees and volunteer groups in schools, displaying the helpline number 10581, and collecting inputs through a “Drug-free Tamil Nadu” mobile app. Public libraries will be converted into digital libraries with Rs 10 crore.
For students, the budget provides modern branded bicycles with helmets and water bottles to 5.32 lakh Class 11 students in government and aided schools, at a cost of Rs 277 crore.
In highways, Rs 9,300 crore has been earmarked to widen state highways into four-lane roads and build bypasses. A “Safe Roads” drive will focus on design, construction and maintenance, with AI-enabled speed control and monitoring of traffic violations, road patrol units and treatment centres for severe injuries. An additional Rs 250 crore has been allocated for road repairs through performance-based maintenance contracts, and the public can report issues via the “Namma Saalai” mobile app. Overall, Rs 21,524 crore has been allocated for highways and minor ports.
Under the cooperation and welfare-related announcements, Rs 8,028 crore has been provided to cover Rs 5,933 crore in farm loan waivers received by 14.43 lakh farmers, along with Rs 134 crore for a Kuruvai special package and Rs 7,432 crore towards free electricity for farmers. The budget also proposes 100% subsidy support for 30,000 beneficiaries—widows, destitute women, transgender persons and persons with disabilities—providing five goats or sheep each at Rs 110 crore. Off-season assistance for 1.93 lakh traditional fishermen will rise from Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000, and 10,000 eligible women will receive free milch cows at Rs 57 crore. In social welfare, Rs 812 crore has been allocated for marriage assistance including an 8-gram gold coin and a silk saree. The Kamarajar breakfast scheme will cover 15.14 lakh students in 15,414 schools. The government will set up senior citizens’ homes in every district, beginning with 12 homes in the first year at Rs 6.6 crore, and plans senior recreation centres in five districts. “Aran” accommodation facilities for transgender persons travelling for education, jobs and medical care will be established in five districts.
In higher education, a “Vetri Laptop Scheme” for college students has been announced with an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore. A new Tamil Nadu Student Hostel and Infrastructure Corporation will be launched with an initial capital of Rs 10 crore to improve hostels statewide. Under the “TN Sudar” scheme, 200 integrated student hostels with one lakh modern beds and AC facilities will be created at Rs 3,200 crore, with a 20% state construction subsidy. The budget also proposes a special government law college in Madurai from the next academic year with an intake of 300 students. On medical admissions, the state reiterated its demand to scrap NEET immediately and continue admissions based on Class 12 public exam marks.
