News for 'Union Budget 2024'

2036 Olympics: How India plans to boost medals count

2036 Olympics: How India plans to boost medals count

Rediff.com29 Jan 2026

India is aiming to win multiple medals in disciplines like aquatics and cycling at the 2036 Olympic Games as both these events offer over a 100 medals.

Fiscal deficit at 52.5% of full-year target at Nov-end

Fiscal deficit at 52.5% of full-year target at Nov-end

Rediff.com31 Dec 2024

The Centre's fiscal deficit at the end of the eighth month of financial year 2024-25 touched 52.5 per cent of the full-year target, government data showed on Tuesday. In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit -- the gap between the government's expenditure and revenue -- was about Rs 8.47 lakh crore during the April-November period, according to the data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA).

Will D K Shivakumar Go The Sachin Pilot Way?

Will D K Shivakumar Go The Sachin Pilot Way?

Rediff.com1 Dec 2025

Even if D K Shivakumar wanted to oust Siddaramaiah, whose support would he take?
The shrewd politician that he is, Siddaramaiah figured his rival had no option but to lump it, points out Aditi Phadnis.

Stock markets edge down on STT, LTCG hike

Stock markets edge down on STT, LTCG hike

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

Adani Ports, NTPC, Infosys, Hindustan Unilever, HCL Technologies and Sun Pharma were among the other big gainers. However, Larsen & Toubro, Bajaj Finance, State Bank of India, Axis Bank and HDFC Bank were amonh the major laggards.

How Your Income, Investments Are Taxed

How Your Income, Investments Are Taxed

Rediff.com28 Nov 2024

Your choice between the Old and New Tax Regimes should reflect your financial strategy and investment goals, says Ramalingam Kalirajan

CAG to conduct pan-India audit on ease of doing biz for MSMEs

CAG to conduct pan-India audit on ease of doing biz for MSMEs

Rediff.com20 Nov 2025

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has launched an integrated audit across 32 states and Union Territories to assess the ease of doing business for the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector.

Govt raises paddy MSP by Rs 117 to Rs 2,300 per quintal for 2024-25

Govt raises paddy MSP by Rs 117 to Rs 2,300 per quintal for 2024-25

Rediff.com20 Jun 2024

The government on Wednesday raised the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy by 5.35 per cent to Rs 2,300 per quintal for the 2024-25 kharif marketing season. The hike in paddy support price comes despite the government sitting on surplus rice stocks, but it is significant ahead of elections in states like Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Delhi.

Parl's stormy monsoon session ends; productivity of LS 136%, RS 118%

Parl's stormy monsoon session ends; productivity of LS 136%, RS 118%

Rediff.com9 Aug 2024

The disqualification of wrestler Vinesh Phogat in the Olympics after being found overweight before the final bout also saw the government and Opposition come to blows in Parliament.

Budget 2023: What the pharma, healthcare industry seek

Budget 2023: What the pharma, healthcare industry seek

Rediff.com19 Jan 2023

The government should take measures to promote innovation and R&D while simplifying regulations for the sector in the upcoming Union Budget, as per pharmaceutical industry bodies. Outlining the wish list for the sector in the upcoming Union Budget, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) secretary general Sudarshan Jain said the domestic pharma industry is currently around $50 billion in size and aspires to grow to around $130 billion by 2030 and $450 billion by 2047. "To achieve this vision, the Union Budget 2023-2024 should help fuel innovation and R&D, which will set the pace for propelling the pharmaceutical industry forward," he told PTI.

Govt to provide homes for 1cr urban poor, middle-class

Govt to provide homes for 1cr urban poor, middle-class

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

The government on Tuesday announced central assistance of Rs 2.2 lakh crore over the next five years to meet housing requirement of 1 crore urban poor and middle class families under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban and proposed interest subsidy to provide loans at affordable rates. In her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "Under the PM Awas Yojana Urban 2.0, housing needs of 1 crore urban poor and middle-class families will be addressed with an investment of Rs 10 lakh crore." "This will include the central assistance of Rs 2.2 lakh crore in the next 5 years," she added.

Fiscal deficit for FY25 estimated to be 4.9%: FM

Fiscal deficit for FY25 estimated to be 4.9%: FM

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the fiscal deficit for 2024-25 is estimated at 4.9 per cent of GDP.

Budget Must Focus On Raising Revenue

Budget Must Focus On Raising Revenue

Rediff.com18 Jul 2024

With the fiscal deficit target staring at the government, the FY25 Budget has limited expenditure options, points out A K Bhattacharya.

Sensex To Hit 87,000 By 2024 End?

Sensex To Hit 87,000 By 2024 End?

Rediff.com4 Jul 2024

The bias for the BSE benchmark index, technical charts suggest, is likely to remain bullish as long as the index holds above 75,600 levels for the rest of the year.

Govt fixes capex at Rs 11.21 lakh cr for FY26

Govt fixes capex at Rs 11.21 lakh cr for FY26

Rediff.com2 Feb 2025

Having missed the target for the current financial year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday proposed to spend Rs 11.21 lakh crore towards capital expenditure (capex) for FY26. However, the capex target is going to be missed by about 93,000 crore for the current financial year.

Infra Brushstrokes For The Budget

Infra Brushstrokes For The Budget

Rediff.com30 Jan 2023

7 key areas that the Budget must address to re-energise the infrastructure sector, suggests Vinayak Chatterjee.

Is Renaming Govt Schemes A Solution?

Is Renaming Govt Schemes A Solution?

Rediff.com20 Dec 2025

This has been our history of good governance: Things that were difficult to do and required planning and implementation were first taken up and then abandoned, notes Aaakr Patel.

Time To Make Budget More Transparent

Time To Make Budget More Transparent

Rediff.com21 Jun 2024

The Budget should use the extra RBI surplus to better effect, suggests A K Bhattacharya.

Why States Miss Monthly Spending Ceilings

Why States Miss Monthly Spending Ceilings

Rediff.com4 Oct 2025

CAG warns most states of fiscal imprudence as March spending overshoots limits, with key departments exhausting large portions of budgets in the last month of FY24.

Budget: Will Nirmalaji Loosen Purse Strings For Poll Gains?

Budget: Will Nirmalaji Loosen Purse Strings For Poll Gains?

Rediff.com18 Jan 2024

The finance minister's assertion that industry should not expect any spectacular announcements in the 2024 interim Budget suggest that the electoral imperatives of more tax concessions or higher expenditure on welfarist programmes could be far less pronounced than they were before the 2019 interim Budget, expects A K Bhattacharya.

Govt likely to soon compensate oil firms for LPG losses

Govt likely to soon compensate oil firms for LPG losses

Rediff.com10 Jul 2025

The government is likely to give a subsidy of Rs 30,000-35,000 crore to state-run oil companies - Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum (BPCL), and Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL) - to compensate for losses incurred from selling LPG at below cost over the past 15 months, according to a senior official.

BJP says Budget all-inclusive, Oppn terms it as anti-people, mere rhetoric

BJP says Budget all-inclusive, Oppn terms it as anti-people, mere rhetoric

Rediff.com1 Feb 2023

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday hailed the Union Budget as an "all-inclusive" document while the Opposition dismissed it as "anti-people" and mere rhetoric lacking the vision for creating jobs and taming inflation.

Budget: Nirmalaji's Chance To Revisit Fiscal Math

Budget: Nirmalaji's Chance To Revisit Fiscal Math

Rediff.com19 Jul 2024

Whether she will pare the fiscal deficit target of 5.1 per cent of GDP, using the record dividend received from the RBI, or expand flagship government programmes will be keenly watched.

Fiscal deficit in Oct touches 46.5% of full-year target

Fiscal deficit in Oct touches 46.5% of full-year target

Rediff.com29 Nov 2024

The Centre's fiscal deficit at the end of the first seven months of financial year 2024-25 touched 46.5 per cent of the full-year target, government data showed on Friday. In absolute terms, the fiscal deficit -- the gap between government's expenditure and revenue -- was at Rs 7,50,824 crore during April-October period, according to data released by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA). The deficit stood at 45 per cent of the Budget Estimates (BE) in the corresponding period of 2023-24.

Govt doubles Mudra loan limit to Rs 20 lakh to promote entrepreneurship

Govt doubles Mudra loan limit to Rs 20 lakh to promote entrepreneurship

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced the doubling of the upper limit of Mudra loans to Rs 20 lakh to promote entrepreneurship in the country. "The limit of Mudra loans will be enhanced to Rs 20 lakh from the current Rs 10 lakh for those entrepreneurs who have availed and successfully repaid previous loans under the 'Tarun category', she said while presenting the Budget in the Lok Sabha.

Property market upset as govt removes indexation benefit for sellers

Property market upset as govt removes indexation benefit for sellers

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

The government on Tuesday proposed reducing the long-term capital gains tax on immovable properties to 12.5 per cent from 20 per cent, but removed the indexation benefits to adjust for inflation, a move experts termed as "negative" for sellers.

Govt May Cut Small Savings Rates

Govt May Cut Small Savings Rates

Rediff.com17 Feb 2025

The interest rate on these schemes have remained unchanged for over a year now.

Can We Fight China With Such A Budget?

Can We Fight China With Such A Budget?

Rediff.com5 Mar 2024

India has allocated Rs 1.72 trillion, or 27.67 per cent of the total defence budget to cater to modernisation of the country's arsenal. Modern militaries spend up to 50 to 60 per cent of their total defence budget so that they go into combat with superior weaponry and equipment.

Mamata Ready To Take On BJP For 2026

Mamata Ready To Take On BJP For 2026

Rediff.com27 Feb 2025

The TMC-led West Bengal government has already started laying the groundwork for the election, setting the tone with the recent Bengal Global Business Summit and the state Budget.

The story behind Nirmala's sari

The story behind Nirmala's sari

Rediff.com1 Feb 2025

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is often known for making statements with her sarees on Budget Day. Each year, she wears a saree that represents India's rich textile heritage and traditional craftsmanship, and this year was no different. This year, Sitharaman chose to wear a beautiful off white saree with intricate golden work, paired with a red blouse and a shawl while carrying her trademark 'bahi-khata', a tablet wrapped in a red-coloured cloth with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it.

Realtors cheer Centre's LTCG tax decision

Realtors cheer Centre's LTCG tax decision

Rediff.com8 Aug 2024

The government's move to tweak the long-term capital gains (LTCG) tax regime proposed in the Finance Bill 2024 and re-introduce the indexation benefit is likely to boost the investments and spur housing sales in the country, industry executives believe. "By enabling taxpayers to choose the lower tax burden between the new and old schemes, the amendment is poised to drive investment and enhance sales across housing segments," said Niranjan Hiranandani, chairman of the Hiranandani Group. In Budget 2024, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed an overhaul in the capital gains tax regime, including lowering the LTCG tax to 12.5 per cent from 20 per cent.

Income Tax dept begins scrutiny in reassssment cases for AY-2018-19

Income Tax dept begins scrutiny in reassssment cases for AY-2018-19

Rediff.com1 Aug 2024

The income-tax (I-T) department has started scrutinising cases for the assessment year (AY) 2018-19 to determine which of them need to be reopened, a process that might result in a raft of tax notices. This follows this year's Union Budget move to reduce the time limit for tax reassessment from 10 years to five in cases of escaped income. The new provision becomes effective on September 1 and will make past assessments for AY 2018-19 time-barred.

Budget 2023-24 a blue print for India@100: FM

Budget 2023-24 a blue print for India@100: FM

Rediff.com1 Feb 2023

This is the first Budget in Amrit Kaal, she said.

Utility vehicle demand aids highest-ever January PV dispatch: SIAM

Utility vehicle demand aids highest-ever January PV dispatch: SIAM

Rediff.com13 Feb 2025

Passenger vehicle dispatches from companies to dealerships witnessed an increase of 1.6 pc year-on-year in January at 399,386 units driven by robust demand for utility vehicles, industry body SIAM said on Thursday. It was the highest-ever passenger vehicle dispatch for the month of January.

What To Do If You Get I-T Notice

What To Do If You Get I-T Notice

Rediff.com12 Aug 2024

'File all the supporting documents in response to the allegation since there is a possibility of the proceedings getting dropped at that stage if the reply is satisfactory.'

SBI pegs GDP growth at 6.3%; lower than govt estimate

SBI pegs GDP growth at 6.3%; lower than govt estimate

Rediff.com8 Jan 2025

The GDP growth is expected to be about 6.3 per cent in the current fiscal year, a tad lower than the government's estimate of 6.4 per cent, owing to several factors such as weak demand, SBI research report said on Wednesday. According to the first advance estimates (FAE) of National Income for 2024-25 released by the National Statistics Office (NSO), released on Tuesday, India's economic growth rate is estimated to slip to a four-year low of 6.4 per cent in 2024-25, because of poor showing by the manufacturing and subdued investments.

Govt to come out with White Paper on Economy before 2014

Govt to come out with White Paper on Economy before 2014

Rediff.com1 Feb 2024

The government will come out with a White Paper on the mismanagement of economy prior to 2014 with an aim to draw lessons.

India eyes 2000 GCCs beyond metro cities by yearend

India eyes 2000 GCCs beyond metro cities by yearend

Rediff.com9 Jul 2025

MeitY is in discussions with global Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies, mid-tier firms, and state government officials on a three-pronged approach to setting up new GCCs in India.

If India wants to be treated as a strategic ally of US...: Trump official

If India wants to be treated as a strategic ally of US...: Trump official

Rediff.com19 Aug 2025

Notably, US President Donald Trump and his administration have continuously targeted India over its purchase of Russian crude oil. India, on the other hand, has always maintained that India's purchases are based on its domestic needs and economic security.

Deciphering the changes in capital gains tax

Deciphering the changes in capital gains tax

Rediff.com30 Jul 2024

The income tax department on Wednesday issued FAQs on changes in the capital gains tax saying the idea behind it was to simplify the tax structure and promote ease of compliance. The holding period for various asset classes for the purpose of short- and long-term capital gains tax has been rationalised. The holding period of all listed assets will be now one year for the purpose of long-term capital gains tax (LTCG).

'Time To Play Tests Not T20s In Markets'

'Time To Play Tests Not T20s In Markets'

Rediff.com4 Feb 2025

'2025 is the year to build a portfolio for the future. Focus this year should be on valuations and visible growth.'