Boosting production in allied sectors of agriculture is crucial for a state like Assam with agriculture as the backbone of the economy. Transforming the agriculture sector in the state from a labour-intensive subsistence production system to commercial-scale production requires aggressive mechanisation. Farm mechanisation leads to the replacement of labour with farm equipment, and employment avenues in the agriculture sector decrease. The allied sectors of dairy farming, livestock rearing, fishery, poultry farming, piggery, fodder cultivation, etc., help farmers augment household income and can generate alternative livelihood avenues if these sectors are also transformed from traditional and subsistence scale to commercial scale. Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog announcing a host of measures for these allied sectors in the state budget for 2025-26 is laudable. Apart from addressing the supply-side intervention to bridge the demand-supply gap of dairy products, fish, meat, eggs, and other poultry products, transformation in these sectors has the potential to generate huge livelihood avenues, which will go a long way in addressing the growing unemployment problem in the state. Key budget proposals for allied sectors of agriculture include the establishment of milk processing plants in Dibrugarh, Dhemaji, Jorhat, and Bajali, which has been rightly described as a big step towards achieving the target of processing 10 lakh litres of milk in the state. The declaration of a subsidy of Rs 5 per litre to registered dairy cooperatives will reduce their financial burden provided the fodder cost does not go up and upset the profitability of their dairy farming. Other proposals include constitution of a committee to advise the government on measures to be taken for self-reliance in production of fish, fish seeds, pork and eggs; allocation of Rs 11 crore for genetic improvement in piggery sector through cross breeding of indigenous varieties for increasing production and ensuring more profits in piggery; Rs 24 crore for boosting egg production and commercialization of poultry farming and strengthening veterinary and animal husbandry through expedition completion of four multi-care veterinary hospital in Kamrup, Golaghat, Tinsukia and Lakhimpur districts and establishment of the fifth one in the Sivasagar district and earmarking an outlay of Rs 24 crore, among others. Major stakeholders of agriculture and allied sectors coming forward to accept innovative ideas for transformation in the sectors will play a crucial role in achieving the objectives of various government initiatives announced in the budget. While government support plays a critical role in bringing transformational changes, farmers building their capacity for gaining self-reliance in the competitive market depends on their ability to utilise such financial and infrastructural support to boost production and productivity. Traditionally, women members of farm households play a key role in allied sectors in the state. Therefore, aligning flagship schemes like Lakhpati Baideu under Mukhyamantrir Mahila Udyamita Asoni (MMUA) aimed at bolstering women entrepreneurship can bring a massive transformation from part-time business activities to full-time and commercial-scale economic activities. The proposal to earmark Rs 3,038 crore for MMUA demonstrates the state government embarking on a mega mission to give a big push to women-led entrepreneurship. The government proposes to provide working capital of Rs 10,000 to 30 lakh women self-help group members in rural Assam to help them become rural women entrepreneurs, ensuring an annual income of Rs 1 lakh to each targeted beneficiary. Objectives under the mission will be achieved only when women beneficiaries are explained that it is not a cash payout scheme and productive utilization of the capital in initiating a sustainable business venture will make them eligible to receive a subsidized bank loan of Rs 25,000 for business expansion. Lessons must be learnt from past experiences of similar government support failing to bring the desired transformation with targeted beneficiaries clueless about the utilization of financial assistance to develop a sustainable income-generating and productive enterprise. Motivating beneficiaries of MMUA to undertake business enterprises with sustainability goals will require handholding efforts by the government, intensive training by domain experts, banks, and other financial institutions, and interaction and exposure visits to enterprises of successful entrepreneurs. Encouraging MMUA beneficiaries to utilize their traditional skill and expertise in poultry farming, livestock rearing, piggery, etc., can be easier as it will not require them to learn a new skill for a new business enterprise. What they will need to learn are scientific methods, business management, digital payment ecosystems, online marketing, etc., to transform traditional small-scale and household business activities into sustainable business enterprises. Successful women-led enterprises on such a big scale will substantially increase production in allied sectors, and this, in turn, can give rise to viable business startups in the sectors and strengthen the rural economy of the state. An increase in household income of farm households from allied sectors will go a long way in reversing the agrarian crisis in Assam. Translating the budget hopes into realities will require cooperation from all key stakeholders.