FOCUS ON JOBS, MSMEs, STARTUPS AND FARMERS

Nirmala Sitharaman presents Budget, her seventh in a row.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman outlined plans focusing on jobs, MSME, agriculture sector, startups, and economic growth amid global uncertainties while presenting Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday.

According to the Ministry of Finance, inflation remains low and stable, progressing towards the 4 per cent target, with core inflation (excluding food and fuel) at 3.1 per cent. Measures are being taken to ensure adequate market supply of perishable goods.

Sitharaman emphasised the interim budget’s focus on four key groups: the poor (Garib), women (Mahilayen), youth (Yuva), and farmers (Annadata).

Sitharaman unveiled the Prime Minister’s package, which includes five schemes aimed at providing employment, skills, and opportunities for 41 million youth over the next five years, with a central allocation of Rs 2 lakh crore.

This year, Rs 1.48 lakh crore is earmarked for education, employment, and skill development.

For the ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision, the budget outlines nine priorities to foster opportunities for all: enhancing productivity and resilience in agriculture, creating employment and skill development opportunities, promoting inclusive human resource development and social justice, boosting manufacturing and services, advancing urban development, ensuring energy security, improving infrastructure, supporting innovation, research, and development and implementing next-generation reforms.