Prashant Sharma, Kaushal Agarwal, Shilpin Tater, Kamlesh Thakur, Shraddha Kedia Agarwal, Gaurav Varma, Dhruman Shah, Ashwani Dhanawat, Umesh Revankar, Rajiv Vasudevan, Ankush Jain, and D L Prachotan share expectations
As India approaches the Union Budget 2026, leaders across housing, finance, healthcare, food, and education are calling for targeted policy measures to sustain demand, improve affordability, and strengthen people-facing sectors that have a direct bearing on household consumption, employment, and social outcomes. From real estate and insurance to healthcare delivery, nutrition, and education, industry voices highlight the need for continuity, access, and long-term structural support.
Housing and Real Estate
Prashant Sharma, President, NAREDCO Maharashtra, said the real estate sector remains a critical contributor to economic growth and employment, and expects policy support that strengthens affordability and project execution.
“The real estate sector continues to be a critical driver of economic growth, employment generation, and allied industries. In the upcoming Union Budget, the industry is hopeful of measures that further strengthen end-user demand, enhance affordability, and accelerate project execution. Granting infrastructure status to housing, especially affordable and mid-income segments, would significantly improve access to institutional finance and reduce borrowing costs for developers.
We strongly urge the government to revisit tax benefits for homebuyers by increasing the deduction limits on home loan interest and principal repayment under Sections 24(b) and 80C, which have remained unchanged for years. Rationalization of GST on construction materials and clarity on input tax credit would also help ease cost pressures. Additionally, faster approvals, policy support for redevelopment and urban housing, and incentives for sustainable and green developments will go a long way in supporting the sector’s long-term, inclusive growth.”
Kaushal Agarwal, Chairman, The Guardians Real Estate Advisory, said housing demand has shown resilience but requires calibrated relief to sustain momentum.
“As the Union Budget 2026 approaches, the real estate sector will be watching closely for policy continuity and targeted measures that further strengthen housing affordability and sustain end-user confidence. The market has demonstrated strong resilience over the past year, supported by steady sales across major cities and rising participation from genuine homebuyers.
In this context, calibrated tax relief for buyers, particularly in the mid-income and affordable segments, such as enhanced deductions on home loan interest and principal, along with a relook at stamp duty and registration charges, could meaningfully ease the cost of ownership and encourage first-time buyers.”
Shilpin Tater, Managing Director, Superb Realty, pointed to rising construction costs and the need for execution support.
“The real estate sector continues to be a key driver of economic growth, employment generation, and urban transformation. As we approach the Union Budget, the industry is optimistic about policy measures that enhance project viability and sustain end-user demand across both residential and commercial segments.
We also expect the government to address rising construction costs through rationalisation of GST on key building materials and greater clarity on input tax credit. Faster approvals, policy support for redevelopment, and targeted incentives for green and sustainable developments will help improve supply efficiency.”
Kamlesh Thakur, Co-founder and Managing Director, Srishti Group, emphasised infrastructure-led growth and access to capital.
“The real estate sector remains a key pillar of India’s economic growth and urban transformation. In the forthcoming Union Budget, we expect policy measures that strengthen housing affordability, improve project viability, and accelerate urban development.
Increasing tax benefits for homebuyers and extending interest subsidy schemes will go a long way in supporting genuine end-user demand, particularly in the affordable and mid-income segments.”
Shraddha Kedia Agarwal, Director, Transcon Developers, said clarity and execution will be essential across housing segments.
“In the forthcoming Union Budget, we expect policy measures that further strengthen housing affordability, provide greater ease of doing business, and support timely project execution. Enhancing tax benefits for homebuyers and ensuring easier access to long-term, low-cost funding will help sustain end-user confidence across housing segments, including luxury housing and mixed-use developments.”
Gaurav Varma, Director, ORA Group, highlighted evolving buyer preferences and redevelopment-led demand.
“The real estate sector continues to be a vital enabler of urban growth and economic momentum. Strengthening tax incentives for homebuyers and ensuring access to long-term, cost-efficient funding will help sustain healthy end-user demand across segments.
In addition to apartments, plotted developments and second homes are witnessing rising interest, driven by improved infrastructure, work-from-anywhere trends, and the aspiration for lifestyle-led ownership.”
Dhruman Shah, Promoter, Ariha Group, pointed to the growing role of luxury and redevelopment projects.
“In the forthcoming Union Budget, we expect policy measures that improve project viability, streamline approvals, and enhance housing affordability for end users. Strengthening tax incentives for homebuyers and ensuring easier access to long-term, low-cost funding will help sustain demand across segments, including premium and luxury housing.”
Finance and Insurance
Ashwani Dhanawat, Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer, Shriram General Insurance, said deeper reforms are required to improve penetration and affordability.
“Union Budget 2025 delivered positive measures for the non-life insurance sector, including the increase in FDI to 100%, but insurance penetration in India remains low at around 1% of GDP, underscoring the need for deeper structural reforms.
In health insurance, enhancing Section 80D limits to ₹50,000/₹1 lakh and extending full tax benefits to senior citizens with standalone policies will help address rising healthcare costs.”
Umesh Revankar, Executive Vice Chairman, Shriram Finance, highlighted the importance of execution and funding stability.
“The broad expectation from the upcoming Budget is continued support for India’s growth priorities with a strong focus on implementation. With large infrastructure projects already identified, timely execution, smoother coordination, and reduced approval friction will be key to ensuring that spending translates into durable assets that improve productivity.”
Healthcare and Ayurveda
Rajiv Vasudevan, MD, CEO and Founder, Apollo AyurVAID, called for sustained investment in evidence-based Ayurveda.
“Over the last few years, the government has made sustained and visible efforts to build awareness and credibility for the Ayush medical system, both within India and globally.
However, translating this intent into substantial reality shall require dedicated investment commitments of the order of a minimum of INR 500 cr. per year over the next 5 years whereby robust evidence is built for Ayurveda as treatment of choice for select medical conditions.”
Food and Nutrition
Ankush Jain, CFO, Proventus Agrocom Limited (ProV), said policy support is needed to strengthen healthy food ecosystems.
In recent years, India’s FMCG and food ecosystem has witnessed a meaningful shift, with consumers becoming more conscious about nutrition, transparency, and quality of the food they are having.
As India is awaiting the upcoming budget 2026–27, the expectation speaks out loud this time demanding the government to continue strengthening support for food innovation, healthy living, sustainable sourcing and packaging, and modern retail infrastructure.”
Education and Entrepreneurship
D L Prachotan, Co-founder and Head of Business Development, Bhanzu, emphasised the importance of nurturing entrepreneurship.
“India’s entrepreneurial landscape has transformed dramatically in the last few years. We are transitioning from job seekers to job creators.
As India is awaiting the next budget, my expectation is that the government will double down on enabling this momentum wherein we not just create more opportunities for Indian entrepreneurs but also build strong ecosystems which attract global talent.”
Closing Context
Across sectors, the expectations ahead of Budget 2026 converge on a common theme: sustaining affordability, improving access to finance and services, and strengthening execution across people-facing industries that directly shape consumption, wellbeing, and opportunity
Justin Tv