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Budget Live Updates

 04:19:21 PM, 24 Jan 2025
Special Budget Covers: The red “Bahi Khata” replaced the traditional budget briefcase in 2019
 03:56:58 PM, 24 Jan 2025
Markets are currently positioned at a critical juncture around the 23,000 level as the Union Budget approaches
 03:55:15 PM, 24 Jan 2025
Biggest Revenue Source: The largest revenue source for the government is the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
 03:53:12 PM, 24 Jan 2025
Paperless Budget: Introduced in 2021 via a mobile app due to COVID-19
 03:52:11 PM, 24 Jan 2025
Zero Tax: In 1962-63, zero tax was introduced for individuals earning below ₹10,000 annually
 03:50:46 PM, 24 Jan 2025
Largest allocation in budget: The Ministry of Finance received the largest allocation in the 2024-25 budget, ₹18.58 lakh crore, accounting for 38.5% of the total budget.
 03:40:56 PM, 24 Jan 2025
Budget Date Change: The budget presentation date was changed from 28th February to 1st February in 2017
 12:45:29 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Fiscal deficit is estimated at 4.9% of GDP
 12:41:55 PM, 23 Jul 2024
STCG tax rates increased from 15% to 20%
 12:40:20 PM, 23 Jul 2024
The family pensioners' standard deduction increased from Rs.15000 to Rs.25000
 12:38:40 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Tax slabs under new tax regime gets changed
 12:37:48 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Standard deduction in the new tax regime increased from Rs.50000 to Rs.75000
 12:36:25 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Abolishment of angel tax announced by Finance Minister
 12:33:00 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Long-Term Capital Gains Tax witnesses changes
 12:29:03 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Customs duty on gold, silver and platinum reduced.
 12:26:49 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Government reduces duty on mobiles and accessories to 15%
 12:24:30 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Government is eyeing to further rationalize the GST tax structure in India
 12:23:50 PM, 23 Jul 2024
NPS for Minors announced by Finance Ministers
 12:21:49 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Use for Rupee for overseas investment to be focused upon
 12:17:23 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Spiritual tourism to be boosted by the government
 12:14:17 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Space-economy to be increased by the Government
 12:10:44 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Government to focus on the development of nuclear reactors.
 12:08:17 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Assistance to states facing losses due to floods announced
 12:06:09 PM, 23 Jul 2024
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana announced by Finance Minister
 12:02:58 PM, 23 Jul 2024
Capex for FY24-25 retained at Rs.11.1lakh crores
 12:00:30 PM, 23 Jul 2024
PM Aawas Yojana, Urban 2.0 gets a push by the Finance Minister
 11:56:20 AM, 23 Jul 2024
Finance Minister announced Power Plant and Irrigation Project in Bihar and Andhra Pradesh respectively
 11:52:34 AM, 23 Jul 2024
To make housing affordable, government has allocated an amount of Rs.2.2 lakh crores
 11:50:09 AM, 23 Jul 2024
Critical Mineral Mission announced by Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman
 11:49:15 AM, 23 Jul 2024
To ensure the rural development in the country, FM has allocated Rs.2.66 lakh crores
 11:47:29 AM, 23 Jul 2024
Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman has announced that 12 new industrial parks will be sanctioned

Watch the analysis of the budget and its impact on ICICI Direct

Budget Bytes 2025

Know about the Union Budget 2025 in the easiest way

Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the fiscal deficit is estimated at 4.9%

of GDP in FY25 with the revenue expected to Rs.32.07 Lakhs crores and expenditure is expected to be Rs.48.21 Lakh crores.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

The expenditure on the defence sector of the country has remained more or less same in this budget as compared to the previous budget. The finalized expenditure amount is Rs.4.56 lakh crores.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman announced an increase in the Securities Transaction Tax on F&O. The STT on futures will increase from 0.0125% to 0.02% and STT on options will increase from 0.0625% to 0.1%.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

The government's proposal to abolish Angel Tax will help in increasing start-ups in the country. This abolishment will take place for all classes of investors.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

The new tax slabs for the people under the new tax regime are: Rs.0-3 lakh - Nil; Rs.3-7 lakh - 5%; Rs.7-10 lakh - 10%; Rs.10-12 lakh - 15%; Rs.12-15 lakh - 20%; and Rs.15 lakh and above - 30%

Published on 23 Jul 2024

The long-term capital gain tax will attract a tax rate of 12.5%. Additionally, the limit of exemption for capital gains will be set at Rs 1.25 lakh per year.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

To increase domestic value addition, the customs duty on gold and silver is reduced to 6% and on platinum to 6.4%

Published on 23 Jul 2024

The growing mobile industry of India has got government's attention as they proposes to reduce the Basic Customs Duty on mobile phones, mobile PCDA (Printed Circuit Design Assembly), and mobile charges to 15%.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

To ease the usage of Rupee for overseas investments, government is looking forward to ease the rules and recognition of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) so that their inflows can be facilitated.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

Development of Corridors in the Vishnupad temple, development of Nalanda (Bihar), and spiritual tourism of Odisha will be the focus points for the government to promote tourism in the country.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman has emphasized on the continuation of expanding space-economy by 5 times over the next 10 years and a venture capital fund of Rs.1000 crores will be established for reaching the targets. has context menu

Published on 23 Jul 2024

Finance Minister announced that government will partner with the private sector for the development of the small and medium nuclear reactors in India will be encouraged. This will help in developing new nuclear technologies in the country.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

States that are prone to floods and incur huge damages due to the same will be financially assisted by the central government. These states include: Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, and Uttarakhand.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana aimed to install rooftop solar plants and availability of free electricity up to 300 units per month to 1 crore households is announced by the FM. 1.28 crore registrations and 14 lakh applications has already been received by the Government for this scheme.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

To maintain a strong fiscal support for the infrastructural development, the capex for the FY24-25 has been retained at Rs.11.1lakh crores which is equivalent to 3.4% of India's GDP.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

Under the PM Aawas Yojana, Urban 2.0, in order to identify the needs of the urban poor class and middle class, the government is looking forward to an investment of Rs.10 lakh crore.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

2400MW power plant in Pirpainti,Bihar along with expedition of multilateral development banks in Bihar is promised by the Finance Minister. In Andhra Pradesh, FM announced early completion of the Polavaram Irrigation Project that is the lifeline for the people of Andhra Pradesh.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

Critical Mineral Mission's focus will be on recycling critical minerals and their overseas acquisitions. Government will launch auction for the first bidding of offshore blocks for mining, building on the exploration already carried out.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

For the people who have timely repaid loans under the TARUN category, are now eligible for the exceeded loan amount of Rs.20 lakhs under government's MUDRA loan scheme. The earlier limit of MUDRA loan was Rs.10 lakhs.

Published on 23 Jul 2024

Union Budget Quiz

Budget Opinion Poll

Question 1 / 10
When was India's first Budget introduced?
Who presented the first Union Budget of Independent India?
Who holds the record for delivering the longest Budget speech in India?
Who holds the record for delivering the shortest Budget speech in India?
Who was the first Prime Minister to present the Union Budget?
Where is the budget presented by the Government?
In the which year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman replaced the Budget briefcase with the traditional ‘Bahi Khata’ having the National Emblem?
According to which article of the Indian Constitution, the Union Budget of a year is referred to as the Annual Financial Statement?
Which of the following Budget is India's first Paperless Budget Presentation?
Which finance minister has presented the highest number of Union Budgets?

Budget Opinion Poll

Question

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Union Budget is a statement of the Central government’s annual accounts for the forthcoming financial year that starts April 1. It contains details about the government's projected receivables and payables for that particular financial year. It also states how much the government will spend on its schemes, on defence, salaries of its employees and how its going to finance its expenditure. 

The Union Budget is a significant financial event that impacts the lives of every citizen as it lays down the government’s financial policy positions pertaining to economic growth, allocation of resources, borrowing, taxation, subsidies, and more. The objective of the Union Budget is to spur economic growth, reduce income inequality and unemployment, and promote equality and social justice for all.

The Budget division of the department of economic affairs in the finance ministry is responsible for preparing the Budget. The DEA is headed by a secretary (an IAS officer). The present Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das was Secretary, DEA, before his retirement. He was later appointed to his current post. 

The 2025 Budget, which sets the economic agenda for the financial year 2025-26, will be presented on 1st February 2025.

The Union Budget is presented by the Finance Minister of the country. As the current FM of the country, Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman will present this year’s Union Budget.

The budget can have a large impact for individuals and businesses in multiple ways.

For Individuals – Changes in taxation on income, investments, and expenses, social welfare, infra development, employment and job creation.

For Businesses – Changes in corporate taxation, infra development, sector-specific incentives or subsidies, and regulatory changes.

Furthermore, there are a few common impact areas such as impact on inflation, GDP growth, changes to interest rates, and currency fluctuations.

The Union Budget outlines the trajectory of the larger economy, which also heavily impacts investor sentiment, and by extension, the stock market as well. There are a variety of ways a budget can impact the stock market, here’s an article that summarises how a budget can impact the stock market

In simple words, a government budget is a comprehensive financial plan that outlines the projection of the central/state government’s revenue (like corporate tax, income tax) and expenditure (like healthcare spending, education spending, social benefits) for a financial year. The government implements its economic policy through the budget.

And while the Union Budget is also a type of government budget, a government budget is a more generic term, which may also be used to describe a budget prepared by a local or State Government. However, the Union Budget is only prepared by the Central Government.

An economic survey is a detailed document that reviews a country’s economic performance over a specific period, usually a financial year. In addition to assessing a country’s economic performance, an economic survey also helps:

  • Identify economic challenges and opportunities
  • Inform policy decisions
  • Provide a macroeconomic overview
  • Offer a sectoral analysis for various sectors

The Finance Bill is a part of the Union Budget that outlines the government’s financial policy on key fronts such as taxation, revenue generation, fiscal policy, social welfare allocation, and broader economic reforms.

R.K. Shanmukham Chetty, who presented independent India’s first ever budget (on 26th November 1947), is known as the Father of the Union Budget. He served as India’s first finance minister.

As per Article 77(3), the Finance Minister is responsible to prepare and present the annual financial statement, which is commonly known as the Budget.

R.K. Shanmukham Chetty - who served as independent India’s first finance minister – presented India’s first ever Union Budget on 26th November 1947, shortly after it gained independence.

As far as budget speeches are concerned, the Union Budget speech of 2020, presented by Nirmala Sitharaman, holds the record for being the longest budget speech on record. The marathon speech lasted for 2 hours and 42 minutes.

But when it comes to the longest budget speech in terms of word count, that record is currently held by Dr. Manmohan Singh, who presented the epochal 1991 Budget speech, which had a word count of a whopping 18,650 words.

The Finance Minister presents the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha.

A total of 87 Budgets have been presented thus far, of which 73 have been full budgets while 14 have been interim budgets.

The Union Budget is presented in the Lok Sabha.

The current Finance Minister of India is Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman. She assumed office in May 2019, succeeding Mr. Arun Jaitley.

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