AI Ministry, Higher Tariffs, Vacant Land Tax & More: RSS-Linked Swadeshi Manch's Budget Wishlist

Last Updated:January 28, 2026, 09:37 IST

On incentives, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch suggested that PLIs should go to the small and indigenous businesses more than the large corporations

On rural development, SJM has rejected the idea that urbanisation is synonymous with development.

A separate ministry for Artificial Intelligence (AI), a calibrated increase in tariffs to curb Chinese imports, and a tax on vacant land lying idle—these are some of the suggestions that the RSS-linked Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) has placed before the government as it prepares the Union Budget, News18 has learnt.

“There are no tax-related issues this time. The issue is economic direction," Ashwani Mahajan, economist and co-convener of SJM told News18, adding: “Manufacturing has to move from intent to mission mode."

Mahajan added that India’s low-tariff regime is no longer tenable in the current geopolitical climate. “India is among the low tariff countries. Raising tariffs and imposing duties can directly reduce imports from China." Telecom and electronics were cited as examples where tariff corrections helped protect domestic industry. “Even the United States is raising trade barriers. Strategic autonomy cannot coexist with unchecked imports," he added.

Tech Governance

On technology governance, SJM has made a clear case for a dedicated Ministry of AI, tasked with designing, regulating and monitoring artificial intelligence across sectors, which include land management and manufacturing and also digital infrastructure.

It has also proposed funding digital infrastructure through a digital currency reserve framework, integrating fiscal innovation with technological sovereignty.

SJM has called for the immediate rollout of a national manufacturing mission, building on last year’s Budget announcements but pushing for sharper execution.

Clean-tech manufacturing has been identified as the core focus area with electric vehicles, green hydrogen, battery energy storage systems and component manufacturing. “Manufacturing must be taken forward decisively. Chinese imports need to be curbed," the senior functionary said.

Vacant Land Tax

Talking about land reform, Mahajan said land has emerged as one of the crucial factors in the existing economic framework. According to the organisation, large tracts of land owned by public sector units, private corporations and institutions are lying vacant, neither generating jobs nor contributing to growth.

To address this, SJM has renewed its demand for a vacant land tax, alongside an AI-based digital land records mission to map, verify and unlock land banks for industrial use. The Manch has proposed a plug-and-play manufacturing model, where land, infrastructure, approvals and utilities are pre-arranged to allow industries to start operations quickly.

Special emphasis has been placed on component manufacturing through industrial parks developed on unused land. “Manufacturing cannot afford procedural delays. Plug-and-play factories must become the norm," he added.

Drawing inspiration from Singapore, SJM has also suggested structured land-use models even for small entrepreneurs and street vendors. “Every economic activity does not need to be informal. Where land is available, it should be channelled into dignified, organised business ecosystems even for the hawkers," Mahajan said.

Incentivise Indigenous Businesses

On incentives, SJM suggested that PLIs should go to the small and indigenous businesses more than the large corporations. While backing PLIs in principle, it has recommended that future incentives must prioritise labour-intensive and indigenous manufacturing sectors, rather than being cornered by large corporations. “The shift has to be from import-dependent assembly to value-added manufacturing," a senior SJM functionary said.

Energy security is another pillar of the Manch’s Budget pitch. Battery energy storage systems, it said, must be aligned with clean energy goals without creating new import dependencies. “Green transition without self-reliance is strategic vulnerability," the functionary noted.

On rural development, SJM has rejected the idea that urbanisation is synonymous with development. “We do not subscribe to the belief that growth must pull people into cities," an SJM functionary said. The Manch has pushed for decentralised infrastructure hubs, local participation, and an expansion of NITI Aayog’s ‘One District One Product’ initiative. “Why restrict it to products alone? One district, one heritage can also drive tourism and livelihoods," he added.

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