Budget 2025: Top quotes from FM Nirmala Sitharaman's speech

Income tax slabs

Presenting her 8th consecutive Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Budget 2025-2026 is a continuation of a series of steps undertaken by Prime Minister Modi to enable India to become one of the leading economies. She said that the Budget focuses primarily on four key segments--  women, youth, farmers and the poor.

India’s economy is expected to grow in the range of 6.3% and 6.8% in 2025-26 from an estimated 6.4% this year, according to the Economic Survey for 2024-25, tabled in Parliament on Friday.

Sitharaman, India's first full-time woman Finance Minister who broke away from the colonial tradition of carrying a Budget briefcase and opted for traditional ‘bahi khata’ in her first budget presentation in July 2019, will be presenting the Union Budget 2025 in paperless from, through a tablet, as was done last year.

Here are the top quotes from FM Nirmala Sitharaman's speech:

• Budget 2025-2025 will focus on four core segments- women, poor, youth and farmers.
•  Budget continues our government's effort to accelerate growth.
• Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana in partnership with states.
• Taxation, mining among 6 sectors where Budget will initiate reforms.
• Government will make India a global hub for toys.
• Government to launch Rs 2-crore term loan to 5 lakh first-time women, SC and ST entrepreneurs.
• Fund of funds for startups to be set up with Rs 10,000 crore contribution from govt.
• Centre will launch a 6-year programme for Atamnirbharta in pulses.
• Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education with an outlay of Rs 500 crore to be set up.
• Outlay of Rs 1.5 lakh crore towards 50-year interest free loans to states to augment infrastructure.