In her 1 hour 26 minute-long speech, finance minister mentioned 'infrastructure' about 26 times and both 'digital' & 'green' 21 times. The word 'amrit' appeared 12 times.
The blue-chip Nifty 50 index closed down 0.26% at 17,616.30, its biggest slide on budget day since a 2.51% fall in 2020. However, the S&P BSE Sensex rose 0.3% to 59,708.08.
Allocation to external affairs ministry for development assistance to foreign countries & projects fell 13% to estimated Rs 5,848.58 crore from Rs 6,750 crore in FY23.
States to set up ‘Unity Malls’ with objective of promotion & sale of ‘1 district, 1 product’, GI & handicraft. Amount allocated to tourism ministry same as last time, at Rs 2,400 cr.
Education Ministry has been allocated Rs 1,12,899.47 cr — up by 8% from last yr — and FM has announced launch of PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 to skill lakhs of youth within next 3 yrs.
Earlier in a statement, the rating agency said the narrower fiscal deficit underscores the Modi government's commitment to longer-term fiscal sustainability.
In her budget speech, Sitharaman said her govt was committed to bringing down fiscal deficit to 4.5% by 2025-26 and pegged economic growth at 7% in the current fiscal.
The overall allocation to the sector increased from last year’s Rs 1.4 lakh crore. Slew of initiatives like addition of new lines, doubling rail lines announced.
SEBI probe concluded that purported loans and fund transfers were paid back in full and did not amount to deceptive market practices or unreported related party transactions.
Many really smart people now share the position that playing cricket with Pakistan is politically, strategically and morally wrong. It is just a poor appreciation of competitive sport.
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