Budget Highlights 2024: Govt to lay white paper on economic performance

Nirmala Sitharaman said, "All forms of infrastructure – digital, social, physical – are being built in record time," Sitharaman said.Empowerment of women has gained momentum with 30 crore Mudra Yojana loans, she added. Around 70% houses in rural areas under PM Awas Yojana given to women as single or joint owners."

Nirmala Sitharaman says, "The Skill India Mission has trained 1.4 crore youth, upskilled and re-skilled 54 lakh youth, and established 3000 new ITIs. A large number of institutional higher learning, namely 7 IITs, 16 IIITs, 7 IIMs, 15 AIIMS and 390 Universities have been set up."

Nirmala Sitharaman says, "Female enrolment in higher education up by 28% in 10 years, in STEM courses, girls & women make 43% of enrolment, one of the highest in the world. All these steps are reflected in the increasing participation of women in the workforce. Making triple talaq illegal, reservation of 1/3 seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies, over 70 % houses under PM Awas Yojana to women have increased their dignity."

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Crop insurance has been given to 4 crore farmers under the PM Fasal Bima Yojana. This assists the annadata in producing food for the country and the world. 1361 mandis integrated with 3 lakh crore trading volume.”

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “For welfare of our annadata, every year, under PM Kisan Samman Yojana, direct financial assistance is provided to 11.8 crore farmers. Crop insurance is given to 4 crore farmers under PM Fasal Bima Yojana. Our prosperity depends on equipping and empowering the youth.”

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Garib Kalyan is desh ka kalyan. We believe in empowering the poor. The earlier strategy of entitlement did not work. With the pursuit of Sab ka Saath, the government has helped alleviate 25 crore people from multi-dimensional poverty. With the pursuit of Sabka Saath in last 10 years, the government has assisted 25 crore people to get freedom from multidimensional poverty.”

Nirmala Sitharaman said, “There is transparency and assurance that benefits are available for all eligible people, and the resources are distributed towards all eligible people without any discrimination. We are addressing systemic inequalities that have plagued our society. We need to focus on four major pillars -- poor, women, youth and annadatas. Their empowerment and wellbeing will drive country forward.”

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her speech, “Our young country has high aspirations, pride in its present, and hope in the future. Our young country has pride in its presence and hope and confidence in the future. The worries about food have been eliminated through free ration for 80 crore people.”

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Fruits of development started reaching the people at scale. The country got a new sense of purpose. In the second term under PM Modi, the government doubled down on its agenda"

Nirmala Sitharaman said that the country has evolved in the last 10 years under PM Modi with "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas" mantra.

The complete speech will be accessible to public and individuals can download the PDF version from the official website - www.indiabudget.gov.in. Full details here

Union minister Anupriya Patel said ahead of Interim Budget, “I hope the provisions of this budget will be to fulfil the aims of becoming Viksit Bharat and a 5 trillion dollar economy.”

The Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the pre-election Budget of the government.

Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said ahead of Interim Budget in Parliament, "The biggest problems in the country are inflation and unemployment."

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman has reached the Parliament to present Budget.

She will announce her sixth Budget today, which will be an Interim Budget as India is scheduled to hold its Lok Sabha elections this year.

The finance minister's speech will be telecast live on Doordarshan (DD) News as well as the YouTube channel and website of the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

Ramachandran Dinesh, President, Confederation of Indian Industry said that the government should focus on capital expenditure.

"We are asking for continuity. We are asking for the focus on CapEx and the infrastructure, which has happened very well in the past, to continue. We are recommending a 20% increase in CapEx spending, with ₹12 lakh crore to be spent on infrastructure. We are also looking at giving direction in terms of how equitable growth will be maintained in future and what the focus of the government will be," he said.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman called on President Droupadi Murmu before presenting the Budget.

"Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman along with Ministers of State Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad and Shri Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting the Union Budget," Rashtrapati Bhawan said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Ahead of the Interim Budget presentation by Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is chairing a cabinet meeting.

"It is an important day," Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said as the government is set to present interim Budget at 11am.

hours before she is set to present the Interim Budget 2024, the minister donned a blue and cream-coloured tussar saree – the body of the saree blue with cream-coloured kantha works all across. Full details here

The Education Ministry had received its highest-ever allocation in 2023-24, when the outlay of the two departments of the ministry stood at Rs, 1,12,898.97 crore. Here's what education sector expects from the Interim Budget.

Union Cabinet is meeting in the Parliament ahead of the presentation of the Interim Budget by Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, news agency ANI reported.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, carrying the Budget tablet, arrived at Parliament to present the country's Interim Budget at 11am.

The BJP will maintain a continuity between the interim and the full budgets for 2024-25 as it is confident of a third-term (2024-29), three officials said. Read Hindustan Times' report here

On the interim Budget, Odisha minister Pratap Deb said, “The expectations from Odisha are very high. But since it is an interim budget, how much they will cater to the demands of the state is to be seen. In the last couple of years, we have been the top investment destination in the case of industry in the country. We expect a lot of funding in the port sector, industrial corridor sector, and in the power sector.”