HYDERABAD: The Budget session of the state Legislature is likely to commence on February 26 and Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka is likely to present the Budget on February 28.
The state Cabinet, scheduled to meet on February 23, is expected to take a decision on the commencement of the Budget session. The session may last for 10 to 15 days, the sources said.
The Budget session is likely to be stormy this time, as the Opposition BRS is expected to corner the government for not implementing the assurances given to the people during the elections. The ruling Congress too is reportedly preparing to give a fitting reply to the BRS, as the ruling party bagged significant number of local bodies in both the panchayat and municipal polls.
Vikramarka has already started the Budget preparatory meetings with various departments and declared that the government would accord top priority to education and healthcare sectors in the Budget estimates for 2026-27.
For 2025-26, the government presented a Rs 3.04 lakh crore Budget for 2025-26. However, the state government was able to collect only 60 per cent of the revenue receipts up to January 2026. As against the target of 2.29 lakh crore, the revenue receipts up to January were just Rs 1.38 lakh crore.
As against the estimated tax revenue of Rs 1.75 lakh crore, the government collected Rs 1.26 lakh crore up to January, which was 72 per cent of the estimated amount. Though, the state estimated Rs 2,738.35 crore revenue surplus by the end of the year (March 31, 2026), the state is facing a revenue deficit of Rs 10,566.34 crore till the end of January 2026.
60% of revenue receipts collected till Jan 2026
For 2025-26, the state government presented Rs 3.04 lakh crore Budget for 2025-26. But it collected only 60 per cent of the revenue receipts up to January 2026. As against the target of Rs 2.29 lakh crore, the revenue receipts up to January were just Rs 1.38 lakh crore. As against the estimated tax revenue of Rs 1.75 lakh crore, the government collected Rs 1.26 lakh crore up to January, which was 72 per cent of the estimated amount. Though, the state estimated Rs 2,738.35 crore revenue surplus by the end of the year (March 31, 2026), the state is facing a revenue deficit of Rs 10,566.34 crore till the end of January 2026.