Interim Budget 2024: Biggest allocation for defence, lowest for agriculture
Interim Union Budget 2024: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said a new scheme will be launched to strengthen deep tech for the defence sector.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday promised economic reforms to drive growth in a speech on the Narendra Modi government's budget, the last before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections due by May. The Interim Budget for 2024-25 is being seen as an economic manifesto for the Bharatiya Janata Party and will give clues to the market on its plans for fiscal consolidation, borrowings and future taxation policy.

India's capital spending for 2024-25 has been raised 11 per cent to ₹11.11 lakh crore, or 3.4 per cent of GDP, Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.
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She said the tripling of capex in the last four years has resulted in a multiplier effect on economic growth and employment generation.
The minister said the Indian air carriers have placed orders for 1,000 new aircraft. Follow Live Updates on Budget 2024
Sitharaman also said a new scheme will be launched to strengthen deep tech for the defence sector. Sitharaman said the government will promote public and private investment in post-harvesting agriculture activities.
She said the application of nano DAP on various crops will be expanded in agri-climatic zones.
The finance minister said three major railway corridors, including for cement, will be constructed, and 40,000 normal railway bogies will be converted to Vande Bharat standard.
As per the Interim Budget documents, the defence ministry has been given the highest allocation.
Here are allocations for specific ministries
- Defence Ministry: ₹6.1 lakh crore
- Ministry of road transport and highways: ₹2.78 lakh crore
- Ministry of railways: ₹2.55 lakh crore
- Ministry of consumer affairs, food & public distribution: ₹2.13 lakh crore
- Ministry of home affairs: ₹2.03 lakh crore
- Ministry of rural development: ₹1.77 lakh crore
- Ministry of chemicals and fertilizers: ₹1.68 lakh crore
- Ministry of communications: ₹1.37 lakh crore
- Ministry of agriculture and farmer's welfare: 1.27 lakh crore
