Assam Budget 2024: Religious Tourism Over Start-Ups Highlights Priorities

Assam Government has earmarked Rs 18 crores for the Start-up Venture Fund and in comparison has earmarked Rs 25 crores for sending 25,000 devotees of Assam to see Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir.

Assam government has made it abundantly clear that their priority is religious tourism over the start-up culture of the state.

This paltry amount of earmarking has sent a negative vibe amongst the growing start-up community which has been looking for Assam government to start something new.

The budget was presented before the Assam Assembly by Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, and this paltry allocation has sent a strong negative vibe amongst the Gen-X who are increasingly turning to startups to realize their dreams.

Presenting her budget, Neog said, "I am glad to announce that our Government would continue to support the Start-up Venture Fund for Assam in this financial year as well. I am earmarking an amount of Rs 18 crores for the same."

In addition, two new Startup Incubation hubs will be established at Assam Engineering College, Guwahati, and Jorhat Engineering College, Jorhat, with an allocated fund of Rs 5 crores.

Contrary to this, the state government has put more focus on religious tourism than startups. Minister Neog, in her budget, said, "Under our ongoing Punya Dham scheme, pilgrims are provided the opportunity to embark on spiritual journeys to sacred places such as Puri, Vrindavan, and Varanasi, etc. We shall continue this year as well. In addition, this year, I am announcing the 'Punya Tirtha Yojana,' and we would facilitate the pilgrimage of 25,000 devotees to Ram Mandir at Ayodhya, with a budgetary provision of Rs. 25 crores."