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.
Many offices in Telangana have asked their employees to work from home because of heavy rainfall, but it has become impossible due to the internet outages.
The new law, which the government has framed as a moral duty, forced major platforms like Dream11 & Zupee to shut operations, wiping out hundreds of crores in market capitalisation.
The Navy has always been on board with the theaterisation plan, but the Air Force feels splitting up air assets into several theatre commands is futile & will tie up critical systems.
Putin sees this as a victory. Europeans have decided to deal with Trump on his terms for the sake of the larger Western alliance. We look at the lessons for us in India.
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