Budget 2025 Live Updates: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents Budget 2025
New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has begun presenting the Union Budget, her eighth consecutive one.
Here are the live and important updates of Union Budget 2024:
12:05 PM: No income tax payable upto annual income upto Rs 12 lakh
12:05 PM: Personal income tax reforms with special focus on middle class
12:05 PM: Personal I-T law to focus on middle class
12:00 PM: Direct tax proposals: New I-T Bill will see half of the present law removed; will be simplified for taxpayers
12:00 PM: 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines to be added to the list of medicines fully exempted from Basic Customs Duty
11:55 AM: The modified UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Nagrik) scheme to be launched. Initially introduced in 2016, the scheme aims to enhance regional connectivity and make air travel more affordable.
11:55 AM: The Patna Airport will be expanded. Further farmers in Mithilanchal from a project on a canal system which will help farming in 50,000 hectares in Bihar.
11:55 AM: After announcing the formation of the Makana Board for Makana farmers in Bihar, FM also announced new scheme for Greenfield airport in the state of Bihar, that goes to poll later this year.
11:50 AM: Investment-friendliness index of states to be launched this year
11:50 AM: Finance Minister highlights the significance of MSMEs in India, noting that they contribute around 45% of the country's exports. She emphasised support for 7.5 crore MSMEs and announced plans to enhance credit access for them. India has more than 1 crore registered MSMEs.
11:50 AM: New Income Tax Bill to be brought next week, says FM
11:45 AM: The FM has announced the Nuclear Energy Mission for research, development of small modular reactors with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore.
11:45 AM: Government will facilitate setting up day-care Cancer centres in all district hospitals in the next 3 years, with 200 centres to be established in 2025-26 itself.
11:40 AM: FM Nirmala Sitharaman announced the setting up of a Centre for Excellence in AI for education with an outlay of Rs 500 crore.
11:40 AM: Term loan of Rs 2 crore for women, first-time entrepreneurs from SC/ST, backward classes
11:35 AM: Broadband connectivity for all government schools: FM
11:35 AM: Jal Jeevan mission to be extended: 100% coverage to be achieved, mission extended till 2028 with enhanced outlay
11:30 AM: Govt to arrange for ID cards, registration of gig workers on e-Shram portal
11:30 AM: Govt to introduce customised credit cards with Rs 5 lakh limit for micro-enterprises: FM.
11:25 AM: 10,000 additional seats in medical colleges next year
11:25 AM: India ranks second largest globally in fishery products. “Our government will bring an enabling framework for sustainable harnessing of fisheries in India’s economic zone.”
11:20 AM: Government will be launching a 6-year programme for Atamnirbharta in pulses with special focus on tur, urad, and masoor.
11:20 AM: The FM has announced the setting up for a new Makana board for Makana farmers in poll bound Bihar.
11:15 AM: The FM announced that Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) will continue to facilitate short-term loans for 7.7 crore farmers, fishermen, and dairy farmers. The loan limit will be enhanced from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.
11:15 AM: The proposed development measures span ten broad areas, focusing on the poor, youth, farmers and women.
11:10 AM: The Budget will place special focus on taxation, the power sector, mining, the financial sector, and regulatory reforms.
11:10 AM: The Finance Minister introduces a new scheme aimed at the agricultural sector, stating that it would benefit approximately 1.7 crore farmers and contribute to the sector's growth.
11:05 AM: No poverty, quality education, high-quality, affordable and comprehensive healthcare: FM on vision for Viksit Bharat
11:05 AM: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Budget, said it continues efforts to accelerate growth and provide inclusive development,
11:00 AM: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman begins presentation of her 8th Union Budget in Lok Sabha.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
