Page 27 - Finance Minister

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

Budget 2024 highlights: All eyes on last Budget before Lok Sabha elections

A resolution praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya will be introduced during the budget session of the Gujarat assembly beginning February 1

Budget 2024: Why Budget presentation time was changed to 11 am from 5 pm?

The Interim Budget for the financial year 2024-2025 will be presented on February 1, in the Lok Sabha. The Budget presentation will begin at 11 am

Budget 2024: Key highlights of last 5 Budgets under FM Nirmala Sitharaman

From crypto tax to the introduction of PM-Kisan scheme, here are the highlights of the last 5 Union Budget (2019-2023) announcements under first full-time woman Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Parliament's Budget session to begin on Wed, 14 suspended MPs to return

President Droupadi Murmu will address members of the two Houses in the LS chamber, as the new Parliament building does not have a Central Hall

Operating at scale

From the first Budget to today, India's economy has changed, requiring boards to adapt and think on a global scale

Budget 2024 Highlights: Parliament's Budget Session to begin on Wednesday

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to table the interim budget for 2024-25 on Thursday, February 1. Catch all the latest Budget 2024 updates here

FM to address RBI board on Feb 12, highlight key points of interim Budget

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to address the Reserve Bank of India's central board on February 12 and highlight key points of the interim Union Budget. Sitharaman will present the sixth Budget on February 1, where she will outline the roadmap for 2024-25. In the post-budget meeting, the finance minister will address the board members and talk about announcements made in the interim Budget 2024-25. The meeting is being held shortly after the Budget session, as well as the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha, which comes to an end on February 9. It is customary for the finance minister to address the Reserve Bank of India board after the Budget. Before the finance minister's address, the RBI will unveil its last bi-monthly monetary policy review on February 8. She will equal the record of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai when she presents her sixth straight Budget on February 1. Sitharaman, the first full-time women finance minister of the country, has present

Interim Budget 2024: Date, time and what to expect from FinMin on Feb 1

Budget 2024 date: The Interim Budget will be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1

Budget highlights: GST on health insurance must be reduced, says Niva Bupa

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to table the interim budget for 2024-25 on Thursday, February 1