All posts tagged: Sitharamans

Sitharaman’s New Budget Plan to Transform 3 Legendary Mahabharata Sites into ‘Vibrant’ Global Destinations

Sitharaman’s New Budget Plan to Transform 3 Legendary Mahabharata Sites into ‘Vibrant’ Global Destinations

With the Centre announcing Hastinapur in Meerut district as one of the 15 archeological sites in the country to be developed as “experiential cultural destination”, the move is expected to give a boost to the Uttar Pradesh government’s “Mahabharata circuit” plan. Hastinapur, which has references in the epic, the Mahabharat, as the capital of the Kuru dynasty, has been one of the earliest urban settlements of ancient India. Recently, the Uttar Pradesh government had released Rs 4 crore to develop Kampilya in Farrukhabad district, which is considered to be the birthplace of Draupadi, the wife of Pandavas, and the capital of Panchala kingdom in the Mahabharat. In her Budget speech on Sunday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced the development of 15 archaeological sites as “experiential cultural destinations”, where excavated landscapes will be opened to the public through curated walkways. “Immersive storytelling skills and technologies will be introduced to help conservation labs, interpretation centres, and guides,” she had said.Among the 15 sites, two are in UP – Hastinapur in Meerut and Sarnath in Varanasi. …

Budget 2026: How Sitharaman’s Customs Duty Exemptions Will Help Offset Trump Tariffs | India News

Budget 2026: How Sitharaman’s Customs Duty Exemptions Will Help Offset Trump Tariffs | India News

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 15:11 IST A look at the customs duty exemptions proposed in the Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday and what they mean amid Trump tariffs FM Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget on Sunday. (PTI) From civil and defence aircraft manufacturing materials to nuclear power projects, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced customs duty exemptions on a wide range of items, which may offset US President Donald Trump’s tariffs imposed on India. A look at the customs duty exemptions proposed in the Budget presented on Sunday and what they mean for India’s manufacturers. THE CUSTOMS DUTY EXEMPTIONS Existing basic custom duty exemption on imports of goods required for nuclear power projects to be extended till 2035. Basic customs duty exemptions to the import of the capital goods required for critical minerals in India to be provided. Basic customs duty on components and parts required for the manufacture civilian training and other aircraft to be exempted. Basic customs duty on specified parts used in the manufacture of microwave ovens have …

‘Strong reflection of India’s Nari Shakti’: PM Modi lauds Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget 2026 | India News

‘Strong reflection of India’s Nari Shakti’: PM Modi lauds Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget 2026 | India News

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 1, 2026 02:44 PM IST Calling it “historic,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday hailed the Union Budget 2026 as a strong reflection of India’s ‘Nari Shakti’ (feminine strength). Following Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s record ninth consecutive Budget presentation in the Parliament on Sunday, PM Modi, in a virtual address to the nation, said, “Today’s budget is historic. It reflects the aspirations of 140 crore Indians. It strengthens the reform journey and charts a clear roadmap for Viksit Bharat.” Modi said this year’s Budget presents an ambitious roadmap to provide new momentum to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives. “This Budget is a highway of opportunities. The Budget strengthens the foundation of India’s bright future. This year’s Budget is the foundation for our journey towards Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he said. He added, “This Budget will provide fresh energy and speed to the ‘Reform Express’ on which India is riding today. The path-breaking reforms provide an open sky to the courageous, talented youth of India.” “This budget further strengthens India’s …

Five Medical Hubs, More Allied Care And AYUSH Workforce In FM Sitharaman’s Budget | India News

Five Medical Hubs, More Allied Care And AYUSH Workforce In FM Sitharaman’s Budget | India News

Last Updated:February 01, 2026, 12:10 IST The measures include one lakh allied health professionals, 1.5 lakh caregivers, new Ayurveda institutes and upgraded labs to support care services and medical value tourism A key pillar of the plan is the expansion of allied health professionals (AHPs), a category that supports doctors across diagnostics, therapy, critical care and behavioural health. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced a sweeping set of measures to build skilled career pathways in healthcare, with a sharp focus on allied health professionals, caregivers, medical value tourism and traditional medicine, as part of a broader push to strengthen India’s health workforce and care systems. Presenting the proposals while reading the Union Budget, the minister said the government would intervene across the health sector to create new-age employment opportunities for young Indians while responding to rising demand for specialised care, geriatric services and integrated healthcare delivery. A key pillar of the plan is the expansion of allied health professionals (AHPs), a category that supports doctors across diagnostics, therapy, critical care and behavioural health. …

From tax relief to jobs: What Indians want from Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2026

From tax relief to jobs: What Indians want from Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2026

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget 2026-27 in parliament in a few hours. This is a record ninth consecutive Budget being presented by Sitharaman. As is the case every year, this year too, all eyes are on important announcements that will shape how Indians save and spend. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and other officials outside the Finance Ministry ahead of the presentation of the ‘Union Budget 2025-26’, in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, February 1, 2025. (Sanjeev Verma/Hindustan Times) Ahead of the presentation, many Indians took to social media to lay out their expectations from the Union Budget 2026-27. (Also read: Union Budget 2026: FM’s budget speech to put ‘unprecedented emphasis’ on Part B) Expectations from Budget 2026 Zerodha founder and CEO Nithin Kamath said in an X post that he wanted the STT to be reduced. STT or Securities Transaction Tax is a government tax applied when one trades on recognised stock exchanges. X user Laxmidhar Biswal also said …

Sitharaman’s Budget speech tomorrow set to be unique, focus on long-term goals| India News

Sitharaman’s Budget speech tomorrow set to be unique, focus on long-term goals| India News

Breaking from long-standing tradition, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to deliver a Union Budget speech on Sunday, February 1, that will place unprecedented emphasis on Part B of the Budget, government sources said. The Union Budget 2026 speech is expected to look markedly different from those delivered over the past 75 years, with the second part of the Budget speech taking centre stage. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman. (File Photo / PTI) Sitharaman will present her record ninth consecutive Union Budget, with expectations high around reforms and planned government expenditure. However, unlike previous years where the speech largely focused on Part A – which outlines planned initiatives and sectoral strategies – this year’s presentation is expected to devote significant time and detail to Part B. Follow the latest updates on the Union Budget Government sources said the finance minister is likely to speak at length in Part B, marking a clear departure from earlier budget speeches where the section consisted of only a few announcements. “Part B of the …

Economic Survey 2025-26 tabled ahead of Nirmala Sitharaman’s 9th Union Budget

Economic Survey 2025-26 tabled ahead of Nirmala Sitharaman’s 9th Union Budget

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday tabled the Economic Survey of India in Parliament for the financial year 2025-26, setting the stage for the Union Budget, which will be presented on Sunday, February 1. This year, the Budget presentation falls on a weekend. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present a record ninth consecutive Union Budget on February 1, marking a significant milestone in India`s parliamentary and economic history. The tabling of the Economic Survey ahead of the Budget follows the long-standing tradition of outlining the state of the economy before detailing future fiscal plans. The Economic Survey of India is regarded as the nation`s official annual “report card” on the economy. It provides a comprehensive, data-backed review of the economy`s performance over the previous year and offers a broad roadmap for future policy direction. As the government`s flagship annual report, it reviews key developments in the economy over the past 12 months. The Survey plays a crucial role in the lead-up to the Union Budget. While the Budget focuses on future government …

Big Cut For Intelligence Units In Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2025

Big Cut For Intelligence Units In Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2025

New Delhi: Intelligence gathering has taken a back seat in the Union Budget 2025-26 as the Centre has reduced the flow of funds of several verticals that deal with intelligence collection and dissemination, including the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) – the apex body for all matters concerning internal and external security. According to Notes on Demand for Grants (2025-26), Rs 182.75 crore has been allocated to NSCS in comparison to Rs 270.08 crore (revised estimate) last financial year. The budget of the Intelligence Bureau was also reduced by around Rs 100 crore. Last year, Rs 3,966 crore was allocated to the agency in the revised Budget but this year, the amount has been reduced to Rs 3,893 crore. “This (reduction) indicates that the number of personnel working in these two arms of the intelligence apparatus are being reduced as revenue in both heads have come down,” a senior officer explained, seeking anonymity.  According to the officer, salaries, pensions and other expenses of intelligence personnel fall under the head of revenue, and the capital suggests …

‘Weakest Budget in 10 years’, here’s how opposition reacted to Sitharaman’s speech – India TV

‘Weakest Budget in 10 years’, here’s how opposition reacted to Sitharaman’s speech – India TV

Image Source : X Opposition’s reaction on Budget 2025 Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her record eighth consecutive Union Budget on Saturday. As the Budget speech commenced, Samajwadi Party MPs shouted slogans and created a ruckus, demanding the House first discuss Mahakumbh stampede. Some MPs, including those from Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party, conducted a symbolic walk-out of the Lok Sabha. “For us, the data of people who died in the stampede in Maha Kumbh is more important than the budget data,” Akhilesh Yadav said after the Budget.    Akhilesh Yadav’s reaction on Budget 2025 Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav says, “Maha Kumbh comes after 12 years. For us, the data of people who died in the stampede in Maha Kumbh is more important than the budget data. The government is not able to tell how many people died, went missing or got injured. The death toll that has been given by the government is false… What arrangements have you made? This government says that we are a party of Hindus but they are not able to …

Budget 2025: Key Highlights from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech

Budget 2025: Key Highlights from Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman began the presentation of her record eighth Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, emphasising India`s continued efforts to accelerate growth and ensure inclusive development. Highlighting the country’s economic progress, she stated that India remains the fastest-growing major economy and that the government`s structural reforms over the past decade have strengthened global confidence in India`s capabilities. “We see the next five years as a unique opportunity to stimulate balanced growth across all regions and realize ‘Sabka Vikas’ (development for all),” Sitharaman said. She described “Viksit Bharat” as encompassing zero poverty, 100&#37 quality education, and comprehensive healthcare, reaffirming the government`s commitment to inclusive growth. Key takeaways from FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech Budget focuses on accelerating growth and ensuring inclusive development. India remains the fastest-growing major economy, with global confidence in its structural reforms. Reforms announced in six key areas: taxation, urban development, mining, financial sector, power, and regulatory frameworks. 10 broad focus areas identified, benefiting poor, youth, farmers, and women. PM Dhan Dhyan Krishi Yojana launched to support 100 districts with low yields, …