Page 26 - Finance Minister

Budget 2024: Here's how political leaders reacted to the Interim Budget

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Interim Union Budget 2024 today, following which reactions from various political parties have come in

FM talks up green energy, proposes rooftop solar power for 10 mn homes

Interim Budget proposal will save up Rs 18,000 annually for households, says Nirmala Sitharaman

Govt to borrow Rs 14.13 trn from market in FY25 to meet revenue shortfall

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday proposed to borrow Rs 14.13 lakh crore by issuing dated securities to meet revenue shortfall in the next financial year starting on April 1. This is lower than last year's gross borrowing estimate of Rs 15.43 lakh crore, which was the highest ever. The lower borrowing estimate for 2024-25 is on account of growing tax revenue and the government's resolve to meet its fiscal consolidation roadmap. About net borrowing estimate, Sitharaman while presenting the interim Budget for 2024-25 said it would be Rs 11.75 lakh crore during the next financial year. As a result, the government would make repayment of Rs 2,37,818 crore during the year. "The gross and net market borrowings through dated securities during 2024-25 are estimated at Rs 14.13 and Rs 11.75 lakh crore respectively. Both will be less than that in 2023-24. Now that the private investments are happening at scale, the lower borrowings by the Central Government will facilitate lar

Budget 2024: Rs 928 cr allocated to CBI, down by Rs 40.4 cr from last yr

The Centre has allocated Rs 928.46 crore to the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Union Budget 2024-25 announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, a snip of over Rs 40.4 crore from FY 2024. The agency had received Rs 946.51 crore to manage its affairs in the Budget Estimates for 2023-24, which was later increased to Rs 968.86 crore in the Revised Estimates. The government has allocated Rs 928.46 crore to the agency for 2024-25, the interim Budget presented by Sitharaman on Thursday said. "The provision is for establishment-related expenditure of the Central Bureau of Investigation which is entrusted with investigation and prosecution in corruption cases against public servants, private persons, firms and other cases of serious crimes," it said. The document said the allocation also includes provision for various projects such as modernisation of training centres of the CBI, establishment of technical and forensic support units, comprehensive modernisation and

Govt targeting to help 30 mn women become 'Lakhpati Didis': FM Sitharaman

Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year launched the 'Lakhpati didi Yojana', which seeks to give training to women associated with self-help groups

Govt to add more medical colleges by utilising existing infra: Sitharaman

The government plans to set up more medical colleges by utilising existing hospital infrastructure and will set up a committee to examine the matter, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while presenting the interim Budget for 2024-2025 on Thursday. The minister also said that the government will encourage vaccination for girls in the 9-14 year age group for the prevention of cervical cancer. Various schemes for maternal and child healthcare will be brought under one comprehensive programme for synergy in implementation, Sitharaman said in Parliament. "Several youth are ambitious to get qualified as doctors. They aim to serve our people through improved healthcare services. Our government plans to set up more medical colleges by utilising the existing hospital infrastructure under various departments. "A committee for this purpose will be set up to examine the issues and make relevant recommendations," Sitharaman said. The newly designed U-WIN platform for managing immunisatio

Budget 2024: FM Sitharaman announces three new railway economic corridors

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed that around 40,000 trains running as part of the Indian Railways will be upgraded to Vande Bharat trains

Budget 2024: What did FM Nirmala Sitharaman say on domestic tourism

From interest-free loans to Lakshadweep and island connectivity, here is everything Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on tourism in the Interim Budget 2024

Budget 2024: FM announces Rs 1 trillion corpus for research in technology

'A corpus of Rs 1 trillion will be established with 50-year interest free loan provided,' announced Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech on Thursday

Global affairs becoming more complex, challenging with wars: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said the global situation is becoming more complex and challenging due to wars and conflicts in different parts of the world. The Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Hamas war have disrupted the global supply chains, impacting trade. The minister, while presenting the interim Budget, said that the new world order is emerging and India has successfully navigated the global challenges in fuel and fertiliser price spike. She also said that strengthening the financial sector in the country has helped make savings, credit and investments more efficient. All forms of infrastructure are being built in record time, she said. The government has also provided transparent, accountable, trust-based administration with a citizen-first approach.

430 mn loans aggregating to Rs 22.5 trn extended under PM Mudra Yojana: FM

The government has extended 43 crore loans aggregating to Rs 22.5 lakh crore were extended under the PM Mudra Yojana, Finance Minsiter Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. Sitharaman in her pre-election Budget, which is technically a vote on account and is popularly termed an interim Budget, said direct benefit transfer of Rs 34 lakh crore through Jan Dhan accounts have resulted in savings of Rs 2.7 lakh crore. The finance minister also said 30 crore Mudra Yojana loans have been given to women in the last 10 years. Saturation approach of covering all eligible people is true and comprehensive achievement of social justice and this is secularism in action, she asserted. She added that India today has 80 chess grandmasters compared to 20 in 2010.

Expect our govt will be blessed again by people with resounding mandate: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday expressed hope that the BJP-led government will be blessed again by the people with a resounding mandate in the forthcoming general elections. The elections to the Lok Sabha will be held in the next few months. "Based on stupendous work, we expect our government will be blessed again by the people with a resounding mandate," she said. She also said India overcame challenges of Covid-19, created foundations for self-reliant India. India was facing enormous challenges when the Modi government took office in 2014, and it overcame those in right earnest, Sitharaman said.

Budget 2024: Working to make India developed nation by 2047, says FM

The government is working to make India a developed country by 2047, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. Presenting the interim Budget 2024-25, Sitharaman also said minimum support prices for 'Annadata' (farmers) have been increased periodically and appropriately. She asserted that for the government, social justice is an effective and necessary model. The government is focussing on addressing systemic inequalities, she said, adding that the emphasis is on outcomes so that socio-economic transformation is achieved. "We focus on outcomes and not outlays," Sitharaman said. Poor, women, youth and farmers are four castes for the government, she added.

Budget 2024: Political reactions pour in ahead of Sitharaman's speech

Here's what political leaders are saying ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Interim Budget presentation

Budget 2024: Nirmala Sitharaman meets President ahead of Budget speech

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday called on President Droupadi Murmu before presenting the pre-election Budget for 2024-25. As per established tradition, the finance minister met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhawan before heading to Parliament. "Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman along with Ministers of State Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad and Shri Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting the Union Budget," Rashtrapati Bhawan said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). President Murmu extended her best wishes to the finance minister. The Union Cabinet met thereafter to clear the Budget. Before the actual presentation in Parliament, the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will approve the Budget for fiscal year 2024-25 (April 2024 to March 2025). Expectations are running high as Sitharaman presents her sixth budget in the Lok S

Budget 2024: How govt keeps Budget a secret until finance minister's speech

The Centre has been successfully guarding the Union Budget every year till the finance minister presents it during the Budget session. Read on to find how they do it

ED arrests two in connection with Delhi Jal Board money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested a retired chief engineer and a contractor in connection with its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the tendering process of the Delhi Jal Board, official sources said Thursday. Jagdish Kumar Arora, a retired chief engineer, and contractor Anil Kumar Aggarwal have been taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said. The federal agency had conducted raids in this case in July last year. ED is conducting investigation in two separate matters of irregularities in the tendering process of the DJB and its criminal case stems from an FIR of the CBI and from the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government. The CBI FIR alleged that officials of the DJB gave "undue advantage" to NKG Infrastructure Limited while awarding tender to the company for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of electro-magnetic flow metres in connivance with officials of NBCC (lndia) Limited. Th

Interim Budget 2024: Focus on credible fiscal math amid global scrutiny

A cursory look at the 2019-20 Interim Budget shows the Narendra Modi government may like to keep its fiscal maths credible

FM will present Budget with 'disha nirdeshak baatein', says PM Modi

The Prime Minister's comments on the first day of the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha indicated his confidence that his government would return for a third successive term

Budget 2024: Time, where to watch & what to expect from Sitharaman's speech

Budget 2024 time: FM Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget speech is expected to start at 11 am on February 1