Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her first interview after presenting the Union Budget 2025, told NDTV that the government has created a balance between strengthening the foundation of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and equally focusing on key sectors like health, nutrition and education through welfare schemes.
While the Budget has been largely welcomed, some are concerned over certain welfare schemes. For example, a Child Rights and You (CRY) analysis claims that the proportion of child-focused expenditure in the Union Budget increased only marginally, from 2.28 per cent to 2.29 per cent.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi has been saying since the start, we should do something for honest taxpayers. This is what we have done. PM Modi has always recognised taxpayers,” Ms Sitharaman told NDTV’s Editor-in-Chief Sanjay Pugalia. “We brought the PM’s internship program for the youth. Along with this, we are developing centres for training for the AI sector. This is needed to develop our economy.”
Ms Sitharaman defended the government’s emphasis on capex, stating that spending on infrastructure remains a priority. “Since COVID-19, every year has seen a growth in capital expenditure. Beyond that, a 10% increase in capex is nominal,” she told NDTV, adding that government spending on capex is projected to be 4.3 per cent of GDP this year, with an expected fiscal deficit of 4.4 per cent in the coming year.
The 2025 Budget – which saw big-ticket announcements on revised income tax slabs and an increase to the rebate ceiling, from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 12 lakh – was a response to the ‘voice of the people’, Ms Sitharaman said.
