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Monday, August 11, 2025
TopicFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Topic: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

Nirmala Sitharaman is an Indian politician with the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), and has served as Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs since 2019 (this is as of March 2024). In the first Modi government, Sitharaman served as the Minister of Defence between 2017 and 2019, thereby becoming India’s second female defence minister and the second female finance minister after Indira Gandhi, and the first full-time female minister to hold each of those portfolios.

Sitharaman first joined the BJP in 2004 and was appointed party spokesperson six years later. She was first elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2014. While presenting her first budget, she made a statement by replacing the traditional budget briefcase with a ‘bahi-khata’ with the National Emblem to carry the speech and other documents.

How she likes her popcorn: Fresh, hot & taxed

ThePrint Team -
The best cartoons of the day, chosen by the editors at ThePrint.

Time to break out the (caramelised) popcorn

ThePrint Team -
The best cartoons of the day, chosen by the editors at ThePrint.

Why X users are congratulating Nirmala Sitharaman over world chess champion D Gukesh’s win

Mrinalini Dhyani -
At just 18, D Gukesh has claimed the World Chess Championship title by defeating China's Ding Liren, making a whopping Rs 11.45 crore in prize money.

Karnataka Police lodge FIR against Sitharaman, BJP leaders & ED officers over poll bond ‘extortion’

PTI -
FIR registered on special court's orders. Complaint alleges that accused 'committed extortion under guise & garb of electoral bonds', benefited to the tune of over Rs 8,000 crore.

India’s next cabinet secretary, TV Somanathan, is an overachiever with blunt words for pvt sector

TCA Sharad Raghavan -
Somanathan, currently finance secy, will take over as cabinet secy for 2 yrs starting 30 August. A vital adviser to finance minister & close to PMO, he is vocal about views on taxation.

Budget 2024-25 has much to offer the middle class. Can’t be judged on tax exemption alone

Ashwani Mahajan -
Taxpayers with an income of over Rs 10 lakh are complaining that the middle class was largely ignored in the budget. Some fact-checking is necessary to find out if this is true.

Budget boost but many commitments to fulfil — what’s the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act cited by FM

Moushumi Das Gupta -
In budget speech, Sitharaman said Modi govt has made ‘concerted efforts’ to fulfill commitments in Act, which was notified in March 2014, 3 months before Andhra Pradesh bifurcation.

Hostels, creches, skilling programmes — budget bats for higher participation of women in workforce

Risha Chitlangia -
However, budgetary allocation to women and child development ministry has seen only a marginal increase from last year, to Rs 3.1 lakh crore.

Loans of up to Rs 10 lakh for higher education in domestic institutions announced in Budget 2024

Mrinalini Dhyani -
6.8% increase in budget allocation for the education ministry compared to the previous fiscal. Upgrades to 1,000 ITIs and student internships in 500 top companies on the plate too.

Centre budgets Rs 11.11 lakh crore of capex for 2024-25, roads & railways get nearly 50% of outlay

Yuthika Bhargava -
The allocation, at 3.4% of GDP, remains unchanged from the figure announced in interim budget in February, and is 11% higher than last year’s outlay of Rs 10 lakh crore.
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National Interest

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