Himachal Budget 2025: Milk prices hiked by ₹6, MGNREGA wage increased to ₹320 | Key announcements

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday presented the state Budget for FY 2025-26, terming it a "golden budget" that would accelerate the state’s progress and move it towards self-reliance.

“In one and a quarter years, our government has restored the confidence of the people and created new paradigms of development," Sukhu said before presenting the Budget.

“With the cooperation and blessings of the people, we will make Himachal a self-reliant and prosperous state,” he added.

In his Budget speech, Sukhu said the year 2025-26 is full of financial challenges as revenue deficit grant has been reduced and GST compensation has been stopped.

He pointed out that approximately 70% of loans taken by the state government were used to repay loans and interest accrued from the previous administration.

Key announcements from Himachal Pradesh Budget 2025:

• Sukhu announced a hike in the minimum support price of cow and buffalo milk prices by ₹6/litre. Cow milk, which is currently sold at ₹45/litre, will now be available for ₹51/litre. Buffalo milk will be sold at ₹61/litre. Sukhu described the move as his government’s commitment to strengthen the rural economy.

• The chief minister said that the government aims to bring one lakh farmers under natural farming in the upcoming fiscal, asserting that about 1.58 lakh farmers in the state have already taken to natural farming.

• Farmers growing raw turmeric (kachi haldi) naturally will benefit from a minimum support price (MSP) of ₹90 per kg.

• The government will set up a spice park in Hamirpur to further support agro-based industries and develop tea states as eco-tourism destinations.

• The daily wages of workers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) will be increased from ₹300 to ₹320.

• In order to combat drug abuse in Himachal Pradesh, the CM announced the constitution of a Special Task Force (STF).

• He said that about 500 electric buses will be purchased in 2025-26 and the Shimla Ropeway project will be started in the next fiscal year.

• For the education sector, Sukhu announced the creation of separate directorates for schools and colleges to enhance administrative efficiency and improve educational outcomes.