Page 13 - Latest Updates on Budget 2025-26

New Income Tax Bill to be introduced next week, says FM Sitharaman

The minister had previously announced in July last year that a comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act of 1961 would be completed within six months

Budget 2025: Shot in the arm for startups with Rs 10K cr new fund of Funds

The FM said that the initial FoF announced by the government with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore managed to catalyse commitments worth Rs 91,000 crore

Pragmatic and sensible: FM Sitharaman incentivises growth beyond govt capex

By providing an effective tax cut of Rs 1 trillion to the middle class, the FM will improve consumer confidence and boost consumption

Noble intentions, but questions remain: Budget's allocations fall short

This was an opportune moment to get rid of the old tax system entirely and move fully to the new one. A broad-based, low-rated, and less differentiated tax structure is the need of the hour

Socialist delivery, a nuclear promise: Hoping the Budget meets its goals

Those of us who were so excited by that flurry of reforms and hailed it as a true and virtuous example of not wasting a crisis are now chastened

Budget updates: Diya Kumari terms Union Budget as 'game changer,' Gehlot criticises lack of relief

New tax regime updates: Under the new system, taxpayers will not have to pay any income tax on earnings up to Rs 12 lakh per annum

Budget 2025-26: Business as usual for farm, food, and petrol subsidies

The food subsidy for FY26 was estimated at Rs 2,03,420 crore, which is 3.04 per cent higher than the RE for FY25 but 0.9 per cent lower than the BE for FY25

Of tax relief, transparency and promises: A Budget focused on clarity

The regret about this Budget is that it once again shies away from renewing its commitment to strategic disinvestment

Budget 2025: FM cuts customs duty on 40 items to boost manufacturing

After a comprehensive review of the customs rate structure, the government has decided to remove seven tariff rates

Union Budget 2025-26: Efforts made to revitalise agri, rural economy

A Nabard survey shows a sharp rise in the share of agricultural households in the rural sector with the numbers shooting up from 48 per cent in 2016-17 to 56.7 per cent in 2021-22

The need for strategic thinking: Focusing on big gains in key areas

We need to be strategic to husband our policy reform resources, devoting energy to a few important areas that will materially impact the investment environment for private persons

Union Budget 2025: Budget only for polls and allies, says Opposition

Several Chief Ministers, including Tamil Nadu's M K Stalin and Karnataka's Siddaramaiah, criticised the Budget for ignoring the demands and needs of their states, while favouring only Bihar

Budget 2025 to develop 50 tourist places, give Mudra loans to homestays

'Special focus' on destinations related to the life and teachings of Lord Buddha

Budget 2025: From Siddaramaiah to Nitish Kumar, here are CMs' views

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar calls Budget 'progressive' while Karnataka CM SIddaramaiah said that it has given Karnataka an 'empty vessel'

Betting on the middle class: Budget fuels growth with consumption boost

While public capex has been retained at its elevated level, it appears that the finance ministry believes that without a more direct push to household demand, growth will subside to unacceptable level

A people's Budget, to lift consumption & investment: PM Narendra Modi

In his televised remarks after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget in the Lok Sabha, Modi flagged the measures for the shipbuilding industry

Budget: Bihar gets the lion's share; tax relief with eye on middle class

The projects for Bihar in Budget 2025-26 add to the Rs 59,000 cr that the FM allocated to the state in July

Budget 2025: Defence allocation sees marginal rise at 1.9% of GDP

It is unclear at the moment what portions of this year's capital budget the three services will receive, because the breakup is no longer separately marked in public documents

Budget 2025: Health care gets 9.78% boost, cancer treatment costs to drop

Customs Duty exemption for lifesaving drugs, more money for Ayushman Bharat

Union Budget supports farmers, middle class, says H D Kumaraswamy

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday said that the union budget 2025-26, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will be a major step in realising the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047. He described it as a budget that prioritises farmers and simplifies the lives of the middle class. "This budget reflects PM Narendra Modiji's vision and farmer-centric approach. It strongly emphasises organic farming, sustainability, and reducing input costs to benefit farmers," the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, said in a statement. Further, he added that this is a budget that strengthens farmers, increases their income, empowers the rural economy, and prepares Indian agriculture for future challenges. Kumaraswamy also expressed satisfaction with the strong push given to the electric vehicle (EV) sector in the budget. "The government is committed to increasing EV production and expanding charging infrastructure across urban and rural areas," he said, adding that t