Union Budget 2025: Major Tax Relief, Economic Growth Focus, and Policy Shifts
New Delhi, Feb 1 – Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025-26, outlining significant tax relief and economic measures aimed at boosting growth. The budget proposes an expenditure of ₹50.65 lakh crore, marking a 7.4% increase over the previous fiscal year. A key highlight was the tax relief benefiting India’s middle class. Individuals earning up to ₹12 lakh annually will pay no income tax, saving ₹80,000, while those earning ₹24 lakh or more could save ₹1.10 lakh. Additionally, a new Income Tax Bill will be introduced next week to replace the 1961 Income Tax Act. Key Announcements Tax Reforms: No tax on income up to ₹12 lakh under the new regime. TDS Simplification: Measures to ease compliance burdens. Tariff Reduction: Customs duty on Harley-Davidson motorcycles cut ahead of PM Modi’s US visit. Intelligence Budget Cuts: Reduced allocations for NSCS and Intelligence Bureau. Manufacturing Incentives: Tax exemptions on EV and mobile phone battery components. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the budget a “people’s budget,” emphasizing its role in increasing investments and citizen participation in development. However, opposition leaders, including Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, criticized it for being election-focused and lacking job creation measures. Meanwhile, social media users reacted with humor, flooding the internet with memes on Sitharaman’s speech. Source: NDTV
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