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Thursday, January 8, 2026
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.

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.

Defence budget raised by Rs 500 crore from interim, Rs 1.05 lakh crore reserved for Indian firms

Snehesh Alex Philip -
In terms of pure numbers, the total defence budget for 2024-25 stands at Rs 6,21,940 crore as against Rs 6.23 lakh crore in the revised estimates for the last fiscal. 

Budget 2024: Gold, silver, phone chargers to get cheaper. Cost of fertilisers, PVC flex boards to rise

Sampurna Panigrahi -
Twenty-five critical minerals essential for sectors like nuclear energy, renewable energy, space, defence etc exempt from customs duties. Angel tax abolished, in boost for startups.

Modi government says focus on employment & middle class in first post-poll budget

Sarita Chaganti Singh -
The government will allocate 2 trillion rupees ($24 billion) for job creation over the next five years, Nirmala Sitharaman said.

India’s energy demand to grow 2-2.5 times by 2047, coal to dominate, says Economic Survey 2023-24

Akanksha Mishra -
Survey says there needs to be ‘orderly’ transition to mix of energy sources, which includes hydro, solar, wind & green hydrogen. It also talks about balancing development & climate change.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present Economic Survey in Parliament a day before budget

ANI -
The Budget Session of Parliament will commence Monday and subject to the exigencies of government business, the session is likely to conclude on 12 August.

Jobs, rural India likely to be focus of new Modi government’s first budget, says Goldman Sachs

Ira Dugal -
The budget proposal for the financial year ending March 2025 will be presented on 23 July, the government said over the weekend.

Ahead of Union Budget, Naidu meets Nirmala Sitharaman, seeks financial aid for Andhra Pradesh

PTI -
Andhra Pradesh CM presented a detailed memorandum during a meeting in North Block highlighting projects in the state that require urgent central assistance.
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