Page 69 - Nirmala Sitharaman

Govt to spend less on farmer fertiliser subsidy as world prices soften

India's budget deficit is projected to be 5.8% of gross domestic product in 2023-24. The government aims to curb the deficit to 5.1% in the next financial year

Realty sector reacts on Budget with cautious optimism, hails PMAY expansion

The real estate sector echoed a sentiment of cautious optimism while reacting to the interim Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. A M Karthik, senior vice-president and co-group head at ICRA Ltd, emphasised the positive impact of the Budget on affordable housing demand. Karthik predicted a surge in demand for affordable housing units following the Centre's announcement of an additional two crore housing units under the PMAY (Grameen) and a proposed housing scheme for the middle class. Noting the potential benefits for housing finance companies, he anticipated a boost in credit flow to these segments. "While liquidity at this juncture looks tight, a lower GOI borrowing programme in the next fiscal could temper the funding cost increase of these lenders," he said. Samantak Das, chief economist and head of research and REIS, India, JLL, noted the absence of major announcements but highlighted the government's focus on fiscal prud

Ficci, corporates hail Budget, say its continuum towards 'Viksit Bharat'

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) President Dr Anish Shah has termed the Intermin Budget 2024-25 as a clear and outcome-based continuum towards Viksit Bharat."The Interim Budget is a clear and outcome-based continuum towards Viksit Bharat. It brings together growth, climate, and social empowerment while maintaining a careful balance between current investment rate and fiscal discipline," said Anish Shah."Enabling States to adopt reforms for Viksit Bharat will seize the momentum created from the Centre towards Amrit Kaal. Focus on Blue Economy, expanding and strengthening the EV ecosystem, domestic tourism, and multi-modal logistics will propel India towards the vision of a developed nation by 2047," he said."The Interim Budget recognizes innovation as a key driver for growth through the introduction of a significant corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore for offering a fifty-year interest-free loan to scale up R & D in sunrise domains. The fiscal performance bodes .

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

Budget 2024: What is 'Blue Economy 2.0' announced to boost aquaculture

Budget 2024: Nirmala Sitharaman presented her sixth consecutive budget, an interim one, in the Parliament on Thursday

Defence Budget 2024: Rs 6.21 trn allocated, ambitious tech scheme announced

In the capital outlay for defence services, Rs 40,777 crore has been set aside for aircraft and aero engines while an amount of Rs 62,343 crore was allocated for "other equipment"

Budget 2024: Where does the Centre receive money from, where does it go?

Interim Budget: It always interests the common man to know where the government gets its money from and where it spends it, here's what the Budget document says

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 for future of Bharat', PM Modi congratulates countrymen: Top quotes

Budget 2024: Congratulating Sitharaman and her team, PM Modi said the interim Budget presented today, "guarantees to strengthen the foundation of Viksit Bharat in 2047"

India negotiating bilateral investment treaties with different nations: FM

India is negotiating bilateral investment treaties with different countries with a view to promote foreign inflows, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. She said that foreign direct investment (FDI) has doubled during 2014-23 to USD 596 billion compared to the inflow received during 2005-14. "For encouraging sustained foreign investment, we are negotiating bilateral investment treaties with our foreign partners, in the spirit of 'first develop India'," she said while presenting the interim Budget 2024-25. India is negotiating this treaty with countries such as the UK. These investment treaties help in promoting and protecting investments in each other's countries. These pacts are important as India has earlier lost two international arbitration cases against British telecom giant Vodafone and Cairn Energy plc of the UK over the retrospective levy of taxes. Foreign direct investment (FDI) equity inflows in India declined 24 per cent to USD 20.48 billion in ...

Govt to set up committee to look into population growth challenges, says FM

The government will form a high-powered committee to look into the challenges arising from fast population growth and demographic changes, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. Presenting the interim Budget 2024-2025 in Parliament, she said the committee will be mandated to make recommendations for addressing these challenges comprehensively in relation to the goal of 'Viksit Bharat'. Sitharaman said various schemes for maternal and child healthcare will be brought under one comprehensive programme for synergy in implementation. "Upgradation of anganwadi centres under the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 will be expedited for improved nutrition delivery, early childhood care and development," she stated.

Women empowerment via entrepreneurship gained momentum in 10 years: FM

The empowerment of women through entrepreneurship and ease of living has gained momentum in the last 10 years, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday while highlighting that female enrolment in higher education has gone up by 28 per cent in the period. Presenting the interim Budget 2024-25, she said 30 crore Mudra Yojana loans have been given to women entrepreneurs. "Female enrolment in higher education has gone up by 28 per cent in 10 years. In STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) courses, girls and women constitute 43 per cent of enrolment - one of the highest in the world," the minister said. The "empowerment of women through entrepreneurship, ease of living, and dignity for them has gained momentum in these ten years", the minister said, adding that all these measures are getting reflected in the increasing participation of women in the workforce. "Making triple talaq illegal, reservation of one-third seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state ...

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

WATCH: Sitharaman infuses her Budget 2024 speech with PM Modi's quote

Speaking on the second day of the Budget session in the Parliament, Sitharaman began her sixth budget address, giving an extensive report card of the Narendra Modi government's decade-long tenure

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

India-Middle East-Europe corridor game changer for us, says FM Sitharaman

The Union Minister also underscored the success of India's G20 presidency and said that during the tough times engulfed by the COVID-19 pandemic, India navigated its way and addressed global problems

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