In Budget speech, FM mentions dedicated rare earth corridors, turtle trails for Kerala

We now propose to support the mineral-rich states of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to establish dedicated Rare Earth Corridors to promote mining, processing, research and manufacturing, Sitharaman, who presented her ninth consecutive Budget, said in her speech.

Support for dedicated rare earth corridors and development of turtle trails are among the announcements related to Kerala in Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget speech on Sunday. Kerala will go to the polls in the coming months, and there were expectations that there could be key announcements for the state in the 2026-27 Budget. A scheme for Rare Earth Permanent Magnets was launched in November 2025. ''We now propose to support the mineral-rich states of Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to establish dedicated Rare Earth Corridors to promote mining, processing, research and manufacturing,'' Sitharaman, who presented her ninth consecutive Budget, said in her speech. Among other proposals, the minister mentioned that India has the potential and opportunity to offer world-class trekking and hiking experiences. ''We will develop ecologically sustainable (i) Mountain trails in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir; Araku Valley in the Eastern Ghats and Podhigai Malai in the Western Ghats. (ii) Turtle Trails along key nesting sites in the coastal areas of Odisha, Karnataka and Kerala; and (iii) Bird watching trails along the Pulikat lake in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu,'' she said. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said that a disquieting sense of deja vu pervades the finance minister's speech today. ''For a state that contributes so robustly to the nation's forex reserves, skilled workforce, and soft power, Kerala appears to be entirely invisible in the Centre's fiscal vision. A 'Budget of Invisible Kerala' in an election year is a message in itself. #UnionBudget2026,'' he said in a post on X.

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