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The Union Budget 2025-26, which comes at a time when India’s economy is slowing, is expected to have measures, including income tax relaxation for the middle class, to boost consumption in the country to push growth.
Union Budget 2025: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman | File Image/PTI
Budget 2025: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her record eighth consecutive budget on Saturday. The Union Budget 2025-26, which comes at a time when India’s economy is slowing, is expected to have measures, including income tax relaxation for the middle class, to boost consumption in the country to push growth. Here’s all you need to know, including how to watch live streaming of FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget Speech 2025:
FM Sitharaman Makes Record
Though former Prime Minister Morarji Desai so far holds the record of the highest number of Budget presentations, FM Sitharaman holds the record of the most number of budgets in a row.
Desai presented a total of six budgets during 1959-64 and four budgets during 1967-69 after a gap of three years.
Apart from Desai, former finance ministers P Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee had presented nine and eight budgets, respectively, under different Prime Ministers. They hold second and third highest budget presentation records, respectively.
Out of eight budgets, Mukherjee tabled three budgets in 1982, 1983 and 1984 and five straight ones between February 2009 and March 2012 in the Congress-led UPA government.
Chidambaram presented the budget on nine occasions — two budgets in 1996 and 1997, five budgets between 2004 and 2008, and two budgets during 2013 and 2014.
So, after the presentation of the Union Budget 2025-26 on Saturday, Sitharaman will have tabled eight budgets in a row, breaking her own record. In the total number of budgets, she will become third along with Pranab Mukherjee with eight budgets.
Where And How To Watch Budget Speech Live
To watch Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech for Budget 2025, you can find live coverage on Sansad TV and other private news channels and websites. Additionally, it will be streamed live on the official websites of the Ministry of Finance and PIB.
Budget 2024 Date and Time
Date: February 1, 2025.
Time: 11.00 am onwards
History Of Budget Timing: The Budget was traditionally presented on the last day of February at 5 pm. The timing was changed in 1999 when then finance minister Yashwant Sinha in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government presented the budget at 11 am. Since then budgets are presented at 11 am.
History of Budget Date: The Budget presentation date was in 2017 changed to the 1st of February to allow the government to complete the Parliamentary approval process by March-end and allow implementation of the Budget from the start of the fiscal on April 1.
Presenting the Budget on February 29 meant that the implementation could not start before May/June after accounting for 2-3 months of the parliamentary approval process.
Budget 2025 Major Expectations
There are expectations of a relaxation in income tax for salaried individuals, especially those earning up to Rs 15 lakh annually. There are also expectations that the new tax regime will be made more attractive, with the standard deduction limit likely to be raised from Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh, and rebate under 87A is also likely to be raised to Rs 10 lakh.
Healthcare sector expects duty exemptions on cancer drungs, apart from special focus on non-communicable disease; while startups also want the government’s policy support to sustain their businesses.
Stay informed with our comprehensive coverage of Union Budget 2025. Get the latest on new income tax slab rates for AY 2025-26 in Income Tax Slabs Budget 2024 LIVE Updates . Track the impact of Budget 2025 on the stock market in Stock Market Budget Day 2025 LIVE Updates. Watch Union Budget LIVE Streaming here.
