Page 70 - Nirmala Sitharaman

Tech corpus positive, hope for full telcos' wishlist consideration: COAI

The long-term, interest-free or low interest rate loans and focus on deep tech will further encourage the private sector to scale up research and innovation, according to COAI

Sports ministry's Budget allocation up by Rs 45 crore at Rs 3,442 crore

The Sports Ministry was on Thursday allocated Rs 3,442.32 crore, a hike of Rs 45.36 crore as compared to last year, in the interim Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. In the previous budget, the Sports Ministry had got a revised allocation of Rs 3,396.96 crore. The Olympic Games in Paris, to be held from July 26 to August 11, will be the country's main focus during the 2024-25 financial year. The ministry's flagship programme, Khelo India, was allotted Rs 900 crore, an increase of Rs 20 crore from the previous budget. The Sports Authority of India (SAI), which organises national camps, provides infrastructure and equipment to athletes, appoints coaches among others, saw Rs 26.83 crore increase in its budgetary allocation from the previous year's revised expenditure of Rs 795.77 crore. The National Sports Federations (NSFs) will receive Rs 15 crore more this time, as compared to the 2023-24 revised budget of Rs 325 crore. The National Anti-Doping Agency

Interim Budget 2024 unveils growth path with fiscal prudence: Economists

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announces fiscal measures aiming at sustainable growth and fiscal consolidation, drawing positive reactions from economists

Health Budget: Experts hail more medical colleges, vaccination for girls

Healthcare experts on Thursday gave a thumbs up to the Centre's plan to set up more medical colleges by utilising the existing hospital infrastructure, with some saying the move demonstrates a "holistic commitment" to health. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the interim Union Budget for 2024-2025 on Thursday, among other announcements, also said the government will encourage vaccination for girls in the 9-14 year age group for the prevention of cervical cancer. Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawalla hailed the government's announcement. "I applaud the announcement to vaccinate girls aged 9-14 against cervical cancer. Let's pledge to prevent HPV (Human Papillomavirus) and ensure easy access to vaccination. Extending health cover for ASHA and anganwadi workers, setting up more medical colleges and streamlining maternal and child healthcare schemes demonstrate a holistic commitment to health," he wrote in a post on X. Other medical experts said creatio

Budget 2024: Industry leaders 'happy' with Modi govt's 'prudent' budget

Budget 2024 Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her sixth budget, an interim one on February 1, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for this year

On path to achieving fiscal deficit target of 4.5% by FY26: FM Sitharaman

Interim Budget: Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra said that the removal of tax old tax disputes is likely to cost the Centre around Rs 3,500 crore

Budget 2024: What did FM Sitharaman say on education, Skill India Mission

The Centre proposes opening of new medical colleges and upgrade Anganwadi centres in the Interim Budget 2024

Budget 2024 targets cervical cancer, which kills 8 Indian women every hour

Budget 2024 updates: In the interim budget 2024, Sitharaman proposed to boost vaccination against cervical cancer, the fourth most common cancer in women globally

Interim Budget: U-WIN platform to be rolled out for managing immunisation

The U-WIN portal is linked with Co-WIN portal and the beneficiary records from Co-WIN can be accessed through U-WIN using the registered mobile number for facilitation of registration of children

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 ...