Union Budget 2025-26: Key Highlights
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented a growth-focused budget on February 1, 2025, targeting middle-class relief, agricultural reforms, and sustainable development. Here are the top takeaways:
1. Tax Reforms
No income tax for annual incomes ≤ ₹12 lakh under the “new tax regime”. Salaried individuals (with standard deduction) enjoy exemption up to ₹12.75 lakh.
– Revised tax slabs:
– ₹0–4 lakh: 0%
– ₹4–8 lakh: 5%
– ₹8–12 lakh: 10%
– ₹12–16 lakh: 15%
– ₹16–20 lakh: 20%
– ₹20–24 lakh: 25%
– Above ₹24 lakh: 30%
2. Agriculture & Rural Development
– PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana launched for 100 low-productivity districts to benefit 1.7 crore farmers .
– 6-year “Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses” to boost tur, urad, and masoor production .
– ₹1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund for city development projects .
3. Healthcare & Education
– 200 Day Care Cancer Centres* to be set up in district hospitals by 2026 .
– 10,000 new medical seats* added in 2025-26, targeting 75,000 seats over 5 years .
– Centre of Excellence in AI for Education* with ₹500 crore allocation.
4. MSMEs & Employment
– Credit guarantee for MSMEs doubled to ₹10 crore .
– Gig workers to receive ID cards, e-Shram registration, and healthcare under PM Jan Arogya Yojana.
– PM SVANidhi revamp: Enhanced loans, UPI-linked credit cards (₹30k limit) for street vendors.
5. Energy & Infrastructure
– Nuclear Energy Mission: ₹20,000 crore for Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) by 2033 .
– Capex allocation at ₹11.21 lakh crore (3.1% of GDP) for railways, roads, and green energy .
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6. Fiscal Targets
– Fiscal deficit* reduced to 4.4% of GDP in 2025-26 (from 4.8% in 2024-25) [6][8].
-Gross market borrowings estimated at ₹14.82 lakh crore.
📥 Download the Full Budget Summary 2025-26 PDF
