New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday that the customs duty changes announced in the Budget for 2026-27 are part of the Indian government’s ongoing economic reforms to rationalise tariffs and are not linked in any way to the policy decisions of the US.”We have changed customs duties, and we have been making customs duty changes in every Budget for a while now, and we have continued the same in this Budget as well,” she pointed out.The Finance Minister maintai…
Latest Budget News & Updates
New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) Affordable drugs, vaccines and diagnostics, supported by domestic biomanufacturing, would be a major social and economic support, especially for the middle class and vulnerable sections, said Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said on Monday.Addressing the media in a post-Budget interaction, the minister said it may take time to be fully appreciated, but the Budget reflects a clear, sequential vision where structura…
New Delhi, Feb 2 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said that the government is set to introduce the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) Amendment Bill in the second half of the Budget session, beginning March 9.Addressing a press briefing, a day after presenting the historic reform-oriented Budget 2026-27, she said that the pace and direction of disinvestment should set the tone for revenue generation in the coming years.”Going forward, there will be a lot more divestment. Sp…
Mumbai, Feb 2 (IANS) Lower revenue as a share of GDP has been more than offset by cuts to subsidies and spending on current schemes, leading to the smallest fiscal consolidation in six years, likely positive for growth, a new report has said.The fiscal consolidation for FY27 is the slowest in six years. And the budgeted disinvestment, which is a below-the-line funding item, is likely to see the highest rise in six years, the report from HSBC Global Investment Research said.”The central governmen…
Bhubaneswar, Feb 1 (IANS) Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das on Sunday strongly criticised the Union Budget for the 2026–27 financial year, presented in Parliament, describing it as ‘anti-people’ and ‘directionless’. Speaking to media persons, Das also alleged that the Union Budget tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman primarily benefits a “handful of industrialists” while neglecting the needs of farmers, women, youth, the poo…
New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said that the government would set up a high-powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ Standing Committee to recommend measures that focus on the services sector as a core driver of Viksit Bharat as part of the proposals in the Budget for 2026-27.This will make India a global leader in services, with a 10 per cent global share by 2047. The Committee will prioritise areas to optimise the potential for growth, employment …
New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said that the debt-to-GDP ratio is estimated to be 55.6 per cent of GDP in 2026-27 (budget estimate or BE), compared to 56.1 per cent of GDP in 2025-26 (revised estimate or RE).A declining debt-to-GDP ratio will gradually free up resources for priority sector expenditure by reducing the outgo on interest payments.”Government has been delivering on fiscal commitments consistently without compromising on social needs,” FM Sithar…
New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced a capital expenditure of Rs 12.2 lakh crore in the Budget for 2026-27, to boost big-ticket infrastructure projects for growth and jobs in the economy.Presenting the Budget, the Finance Minister said that an Infrastructure Risk Development Fund would be set up to accelerate the development of big projects.She said to push economic growth, the Budget proposes to deliver a powerful push to infrastructure, including high…
Mumbai, Jan 31 (IANS) The Indian equity markets on Sunday traded with increased volatility, amidst Budget caution and a weak rupee hovering near 92 per dollar.As of 9.24 am, Sensex added 9 points, or 0.01 per cent, to reach 82,278, and Nifty lost 28 points, or 0.11 per cent to settle at 25,291.Main broad-cap indices posted notable losses as the Nifty Midcap 100 declined 0.73 per cent, and the Nifty Smallcap 100 lost 1.55 per cent.All sectoral indices were trading in the red except auto, private …
Chandigarh, Jan 15 (IANS) With the objective of accelerating holistic agricultural growth in Haryana, enhancing farmers’ incomes and strengthening agriculture and allied sectors, a pre-budget consultation meeting was held on Thursday at in Hisar. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, brought together agricultural scientists, progressive farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and stakeholders from animal husbandry, horticulture, fisheries and the rural economy to seek…