Budget Aims To Boost Private Investments, Growth: Sitharaman

Amid serious external challenges, various measures announced in Budget 2025-26 are aimed at accelerating growth, private investment and consumption, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday.

- FE BUREAU

"We have kept our goals in such a way that we are able to accelerate growth, secure inclusive development, integrate private sector investments, uplift household sentiment, and also to directly or indirectly enhance the spending power of the Indian rising middle class," she said, replying to a discussion on the general Budget in Rajya Sabha.

The Centre sharply raised the income tax exemption limit to ₹12 lakh from ₹7 lakh in the new tax regime, which the government said would leave around ₹1 lakh crore cash in the hands of taxpayers. It also lowered its fiscal deficit estimate for 2024-25 to 4.8% of GDP from 4.9% and projected to come down to 4.4% in 2025-26.