- A pretty big announcement: Sitharaman says no tax on income up to 12 lakh rupees per annum. Woo!
- Insurance has got a boost from Sitharaman's announcement of 100% foreign ownership for some firms.
- Hardware tech players are the biggest sector gainers so far, thanks to custom duty cuts in key components.
- A boost for India's electronic assembly plants that have been so much in the news the past year. Basic customs duty reduction across electronic products. Dixon Technologies, a key player here, is rising.
- A much needed boost for trade: India’s model bilateral investment treaty will be updated and revamped, Sitharaman says.
- Twitter is talking about the Budget's Bihar focus.
#Bihar #Budget2025 pic.twitter.com/tQDnSsTIDe
— Finance Memes (@Qid_Memez) February 1, 2025
- Indian cities are in crisis, with overwhelmed infrastructure, half-completed flyovers and traffic snarls. Sitharaman announces the 1 trillion rupee “Urban Challenge Fund” for municipalities who come up with projects and financing. They can get 25% federal support. But that is a very small fix in the ongoing problems for cities in governance and finance access.
- The "Deepseek Effect": Centre of excellence in Artificial Intelligence will be set up for Rs 100 crore. However, qualified talent access across key areas like AI and aviation is a concern.
- Air travel in focus: Sitharaman announces that 120 new destinations will be connected for air travel. This is in the midst of a boom in flight travel in the last five years across India, as airport building has surged. New airports will connect 40 million additional passengers in the next 10 years.
- Textile stocks are rising after Sitharaman announces five year mission for cotton farmers.
- An announcement for gig workers at Swiggy, Blinkit, etc: They will get health coverage from the government.
- Joke circulating on whatsapp groups yesterday. Income tax announcements are awaited.
- It's Adani and Ambani who are regularly present in Indian business news, but Sitharaman announces a boost for medium and small businesses. There are over 1 crore MSMEs employing 7.5 crore people. She says, "For micro and small enterprises, credit cover will be increased from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore. For startups, it will be increased to Rs 10 crore. For well-run exporter MSME, term loans of Rs 20 crore will be granted".
- Amara Raja Energy was already seeing some momentum at market open. The stock is rising as Sitharaman announces focus on EV batteries and solar.
- Sitharaman announces loans for 500,000 female entrepreneurs from so-called backward classes. This is expected to drive momentum for self-help groups and smaller entrepreneurs,
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Budget is focusing on farmers and the rural economy, suggesting that the government is focused on bringing down food inflation and addressing rural distress. Her announcements include:
- Nafed and NCCF to drive procurement of pulses over the next four years
- PM Dhan Dhyan Krishi Yojan to benefit, Sitharaman says, over 1.7 crore farmers
- Agriculture stocks are surging in response
