Union Budget 2026: Visionary Leap Forward, but Affordable Housing Requires Immediate Focus

Pune, 1st February 2026: Shantilal Kataria, Executive Council Member of CREDAI National and Former Vice President & President of CREDAI Maharashtra and CREDAI Pune, has commented on the Union Budget 2026. According to Kataria, the budget reflects a clear and determined vision to accelerate India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat.

The budget's primary focus is on driving India rapidly towards a developed economy. It identifies high-growth sectors such as bio-pharma, IT, data centres, tourism, medical tourism, healthcare, infrastructure, semiconductors, and rare earth minerals as the future growth engines for the country. Kataria stated, “The government’s emphasis on scaling up the manufacturing sector will significantly boost economic growth and generate large-scale employment opportunities.”

CREDAI welcomes the government’s continued thrust on infrastructure spending, particularly investments in highways, metro rail, logistics corridors, railways, and urban infrastructure. These initiatives will enhance connectivity, unlock new growth corridors, and support sustainable, long-term urban development across the country. Kataria added, “The strong focus on Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities rightly positions them as the next engines of national growth.”

However, CREDAI expressed deep disappointment over the absence of concrete measures for affordable housing in the budget. Kataria emphasized, “Affordable housing must be treated as economic infrastructure. It has a multiplier effect on employment, urban development, and social inclusion.”

CREDAI strongly urges the government to give urgent policy attention to affordable housing, including fiscal incentives and targeted schemes, to ensure inclusive and sustainable urban growth. Addressing the housing needs of millions of Indians is crucial for the nation's overall development and social well-being.