Page 21 - Nirmala Sitharaman

Budget 2025 LIVE: FM bets on tax cuts to spur growth; Oppn calls it 'election package for Bihar'

Union budget 2025-26 Live Updates: Modi govt has made some big announcements including changes in the new tax regime with taxpayers not having to pay any income tax on earnings up to Rs 12 lpa

Budget is by the people, for the people, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Paraphrasing Abraham Lincoln, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday described the Union Budget as "by the people, for the people, of the people", and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was fully behind the idea to cut taxes for middle class but it took time to convince the bureaucrats. "We have heard the voice of the middle class" who had been complaining about their aspirations not being met despite being honest taxpayers, she told PTI in an interview. With the honest and proud taxpayers wanting the government to do more to limit the impact of factors like inflation, the prime minister was quick to task Sitharaman to look at ways to give relief. While Modi was quick to agree to tax relief, it took a bit of convincing to get on board the officials in the finance ministry and the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) - who are tasked to ensure revenue collection to meet welfare and other schemes, she said. Presenting her eighth straight budget, Sitharaman on Saturday announced

I-T relief fuels consumption Budget: FM focuses on agri, MSMEs, exports

FM Sitharaman targets FY26 fiscal deficit at 4.4% of GDP

FM cites India's fiscal discipline as key to Moody's unchanged ratings

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday flaunted India's unblemished track record of not faltering on any of its fiscal consolidation or debt reduction targets as she seemed to shrug off the passiveness of agencies like Moody's which have not upgraded India's ratings. Sitharaman in her budget for fiscal year beginning April treaded a fine line between fiscal prudence and providing a thrust to growth as she not only gave the middle class the biggest-ever tax relief but also unveiled a glide path for reducing fiscal deficit next year and debt as percentage of GDP by 2031. India, she said, had to borrow more during the pandemic to meet the fiscal needs of the economy amid global challenges, supply chain disruptions and geopolitical conflicts in two theatres. "Despite all these we have shown a commitment and following the commitment to the last word as regards fiscal deficit and the glide path that we should follow," she told PTI in an interview. "We have, not one year have we ...

Rupee not depreciating against any currency other than $: FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday rejected criticism over the slide of the Indian rupee, saying it has depreciated only against a strengthening US dollar but remained stable against all other currencies because of the strong macroeconomic fundamentals. In an interview with PTI, she said a 3 per cent depreciation in the rupee against the US dollar in past few months is a matter of concern as it makes imports costlier, but she rejected criticism that the local currency has seen all-round weakness. "I am concerned but I will not accept the criticism that 'Oh Rupee is weakening!' Our macroeconomic fundamentals are strong. Rupee wouldn't be stable against all the currencies if the fundamentals were weak," she said. The Indian rupee has been under pressure in the last few months but it continues to be the least volatile currency against the US dollar among its Asian and global peers. The reasons for the rupee hitting record lows almost on a daily basis against the US dollar ..

Union Budget 2025: 9 out of 10 taxpayers will now pay zero income tax

In her post Budget press conference, Nirmala Sitharaman said that an additional one crore taxpayers will pay no tax post her announcement. Here's how

Here's why after slashing taxes, India must now cut stifling red tape

Sitharaman has heeded the counsel of her advisers and announced a high-level committee for a review of all non-financial sector regulations, certifications, licenses, and permissions

Best of BS Opinion: India's Budget menu: Bold flavours or comfort food?

Our Editorial comment and columnists dissect the Union Budget 2025 to see what makes it tick, and what doesn't

Budget at a glance: Here're the key numbers from Union Budget 2025

FM announced significant income tax cuts for the middle class and unveiled a blueprint for next generation

Budget 2025: Investment, turnover limits for MSMEs hiked up to 2.5 times

Currently, over 1 crore registered MSMEs, employing 7.5 crore people and generating 36 per cent of our manufacturing, have come together to position India as a global manufacturing hub

Budget sets a comprehensive blueprint for India's economic growth

The FM announced income tax relief for middle-class households to the tune of $12 billion (0.3 per cent of GDP), which is expected to give a significant boost to urban consumption and savings

Budget 2025: Govt plans to reduce debt-to-GDP ratio to 47.5-52% by FY31

The six-year roadmap until FY31 aims to bring down the debt-to-GDP ratio to a range of 47.5-52 per cent from 57.1 per cent in FY25

A blueprint for Viksit Bharat: Budget 2025 focuses on growth, reforms

The Finance Minister has also been cognizant of the need to undertake regulatory reforms that are needed to ensure that the economy does not get bogged down and steams ahead

Budget 2025: We've responded to the voice of the people, says FM Sitharaman

We continue to place emphasis on the multiplier effect that capital expenditure done by the government has shown, said FM Sitharaman

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

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

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

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