Government Boosts Road Ministry Budget, Addressing NHAI's Debt

The government increased the budget for the road transport and highways ministry to Rs 2,873,33.16 crore for 2025-26. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also raised the allocation for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to Rs 1,878,03 crore, focusing on reducing NHAI's debt.

The government has earmarked Rs 2,873,33.16 crore for the road transport and highways ministry for the fiscal year 2025-26, marking a marginal 2.41 percent increase from the previous year's allocation of 2,805,18.80 crore.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced an increased allocation for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), raising it to Rs 1,878,03 crore from last year's Rs 1,693,71 crore, in a move aimed at bolstering infrastructure.

At the start of the current fiscal year, NHAI's total debt was at Rs 3.35 lakh crore, which reduced to about Rs 2.76 lakh crore by the end of the third quarter of FY25. The 2025-26 budget includes no new borrowing provisions for NHAI, reflecting a strategic effort to curb the agency's debt.

(With inputs from agencies.)