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Image: ANI
India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is announcing her historic eighth Union Budget on February 1, 2025. India is pacing towards a $5 trillion economy, with the government focusing on strategic reforms, infrastructural development, and policies to sustain economic momentum. The budget 2025 is anticipated to address key sectors such as job creation, taxes, infrastructure, healthcare, entrepreneurship, agriculture, education, etc.
In recent years, the Government of India has thrown a spotlight on Nari Shakti (women's empowerment), with a strong commitment to enhancing their participation in economic and social development. This Union Budget 2025, what are the initiatives and allocations aimed at amplifying women's contributions to the economy.
SheThePeople brings you Live updates on Nirmala Sitharaman's announcements aimed at female leadership.
Finance Minister Announces Union Budget 2025
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Feb 01, 2025 11:22 IST
Loan scheme for over 5 lakh women and SC/ST first-time entrepreneurs
While announcing plans for MSMEs, the Finance Minister announced a scheme to support over 5 lakh women and scheduled caste or scheduled tribe first-time entrepreneurs. This plan involves giving term loans of up to ₹2 crore during the next five years. FM Sitharaman said that the scheme will incorporate lessons from the Stand-Up India scheme launched in 2016, and organise online capacity building for entrepreneurship, and managerial skills.
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Feb 01, 2025 13:17 IST
Targeted support for women, youth is a game-changer, says Mamta Binani, MSME Development Forum President
Mamta Binani, the President of MSME Development Forum West Bengal commented on the recent Union Budget announcement. She highlighted the government's efforts to uplift women and the youth in entrepreneurship.
"The recently announced Union Budget for 2025-26 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is a game-changer for MSMEs. The enhanced credit guarantee, increased investment limits, and targeted support for women and young entrepreneurs will significantly drive growth and innovation, making Indian MSMEs more competitive on the global stage while creating much-needed employment opportunities. The introduction of customized credit cards with a ₹5lakh limit for micro enterprises will provide essential access to finance, enabling growth and sustainability," Binani told SheThePeople.
"Furthermore, the focus on tackling non-tariff barriers to exports and enhancing global competitiveness will open new avenues for MSMEs to thrive internationally. These measures, along with the increased focus on women and youth entrepreneurs, will drive innovation, create jobs, and position India as a formidable global manufacturing hub. This holistic approach to strengthening MSMEs is a significant step towards inclusive and sustainable economic growth."
Mamta Binani, President of MSME Development Forum – West Bengal -
Feb 01, 2025 13:13 IST
Loan scheme for women, SC/ST commendable: Pooja Sharma Goyal, Founder, The Udaiti Foundation
The recently announced scheme to provide loans for women and marginalised communities has garnered appreciation from many women in entrepreneurship.
Speaking to SheThePeople, Pooja Sharma Goyal- Founding CEO of the non-profit organisation The Udaiti Foundation, said, "The government's initiative to provide ₹2 crore in financial support for first-time women entrepreneurs, as well as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, is a commendable step towards economic inclusion. This will empower women by bridging critical financial gaps, fostering entrepreneurship, and enabling their businesses to thrive."
Goyal emphasised, "With women entrepreneurs historically facing restricted access to credit and professional networks, this scheme has the potential to uplift countless women and drive equitable growth. Such measures are essential for advancing gender parity and strengthening India's economic landscape."
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Feb 01, 2025 12:10 IST
Relief for patients with terminal illnesses
FM Sitharaman announced the plan to provide relief to patients, particularly to those battling terminal illnesses like cancer or rare diseases. The government proposed to add 36 life-saving drugs and medicines to the list of medicines fully exempted from customs duty.
The government also announced the establishment of daycare cancer centres in all district hospitals in the next three years. 200 centres will be established in 2025-26, the FM asserted.
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Feb 01, 2025 12:02 IST
New Income Tax Bill to be announced
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that income up to ₹12 lakh will not be taxed. This comes as a significant relief for the middle class. A taxpayer in the new structure with an income of ₹12 lakh will get a benefit of $80,000 in tax, while a person with an income of Rs 18 lakh to get a benefit of ₹70,000.
Zero Income Tax till ₹12 Lakh Income under New Tax Regime
— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) February 1, 2025
👉 Slabs and rates being changed across the board to benefit all tax-payers
👉 New structure to substantially reduce taxes of middle class and leave more money in their hands, boosting household consumption, savings and… pic.twitter.com/KfQy4a6PGdThe FM also announced that a new Income Tax Bill - a direct tax code meant to simplify compliance for individual taxpayers - will be introduced next week. The new code is expected to make it easier to calculate taxes and file returns. While announcing the Union Budget 2024 in July, Sitharaman expressed the government's aim to make current income tax laws simpler to understand and consolidate the number of pages of the Income Tax Act of 1961 by at least 60%.
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Feb 01, 2025 11:57 IST
'Heal in India': Medical tourism in focus
The government is also focusing on medical tourism, in partnership with the private sector. “Heal in India” is a government initiative that promotes tourism focused on wellness and health, offering quality healthcare and making it easier for foreign patients to come to India for treatment.
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Feb 01, 2025 11:41 IST
Initiatives in education: Centres of excellence in AI, Atal Tinkering Labs, etc
The Finance Minister announced several schemes in the education sector, which could propel female empowerment and leadership.
- Atal Tinkering Lab: The government plans to set up 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in public schools in the next 5 years to "cultivate the spirit of curiosity and innovation and foster a scientific temper in young mind," FM Sitharaman said. The ATL is an initiative by the government to provide a space for students to learn and experiment with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
- Broadband connectivity in schools: The government will set up broadband connectivity in government secondary schools in rural areas under the BharatNet project
- Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak scheme: The government will implement a scheme to provide digital forms of regional Indian language books across educational institutions. "This aims to help students understand their subjects better and in their language,' the FM said.
- National Centres of Excellence for Skilling: 5 national centres of excellence for skilling will be set up with global expertise and partnerships. This aims to "equip youth with skills required for Make For India, Make For The World" manufacturing. This will cover curriculum design, training of trainers, a skill certification framework, and periodic reviews.
- Expansion of IITs: The government annouced that additional infrastructure will be created in the IITs started after 2014 and IIT Patna to accommodate 6,500 more students.
- Centre of Excellence for AI for education: A Centre of Excellence for AI for education will be set up with a total outlay of 500 crores.
- Medical education: 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals to accommodate 75,000 more seats in the next 5 years.
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Feb 01, 2025 11:31 IST
Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 to be enhanced
Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Saksham Anganwadi & Poshan 2.0 program will be enhanced this year. She emphasised that the scheme supports the nutrition of over 8 crore children, 1 crore lactating women across India, and about 20 lakh adolescent girls in 'aspirational districts' and the northeastern states of the country.
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Feb 01, 2025 11:12 IST
Sitharaman announces 10 areas of focus
The Finance Minister announced the 10 pivotal areas of focus in this year's Union Budget.
- Spurring Agricultural Growth and Productivity
- Building Rural Prosperity and Resilience
- Taking Everyone Together on an Inclusive Growth Path
- Supporting MSMEs
- Enabling Employment-led Development
- Investing in People, Economy, and Innovation
- Securing Energy Supplies
- Promoting Exports
- Nurturing Innovation
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Feb 01, 2025 10:50 IST
Nirmala Sitharaman drapes Padma-awarded Mithila artist's creation
Nirmala Sitharaman opted for a modest yet impactful saree to announce the Union Budget 2025. According to Asian News International, the garment was crafted by Mithila artist Dulari Devi from Bihar, who won a Padma Shri award in 2021 for the preservation and promotion of the heritage art form. This way, the Finance Minister is making a striking statement about the role of grassroots artists and women entrepreneurs/artisans in India's economy.
#UnionBudget2025 | Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is wearing a saree as a tribute to Madhubani Art and the skill of Padma awardee Dulari Devi.
— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025
Dulari Devi is a 2021 Padma Shri awardee. When FM visited Madhubani for a credit outreach activity at Mithila Art Institute,… pic.twitter.com/Q9ur6abaNt -
Feb 01, 2025 10:36 IST
Govt must focus on women-led enterprises, emphasises Sudha Reddy, director of MEIL
Sudha Reddy, the Director of MEIL (Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Limited) Group, spoke about the indispensable role of female leadership across various sectors in India.
"India has witnessed a remarkable rise in women-led enterprises, yet access to capital, skill development, and policy support remain critical challenges. The budget must introduce incentives such as low-interest credit lines, venture capital funds for women-led startups, and increased government procurement from women-owned businesses. These initiatives will not only boost women’s participation in economic activities but also accelerate innovation and job creation.
A future-ready workforce is essential for sustained growth. The budget should allocate greater funds towards technical and vocational training, particularly for women, in high-growth sectors like renewable energy, aerospace, and digital technology. Collaborations between industries and educational institutions should be incentivized to bridge the skill gap and prepare young talent for emerging job markets.
As an entrepreneur and industry leader, I believe a truly progressive budget must focus on inclusivity—supporting MSMEs, boosting research and development, and enabling financial accessibility for underrepresented groups. Policies that encourage women’s leadership in boardrooms and create a more balanced corporate ecosystem will be instrumental in shaping India’s economic future."
Sudha Reddy, Director – MEIL -
Feb 01, 2025 10:32 IST
Talent crunch, job security pressing concerns: Entrepreneur Payal Nambiar
Payal Nambiar, the founder and director of B-Square shared her insights with SheThePeople.
"The upcoming budget should prioritize measures that facilitate the establishment of Artificial Intelligence centres and introduce special schemes aimed at skilling our workforce. This is essential not just for keeping pace with technological advancements but also for ensuring that we harness these innovations effectively.
The talent crunch we face today is a pressing issue that demands immediate attention. Policies must be put in place to address this gap, focusing on fostering innovation and encouraging out-of-the-box thinking. The paradigm has shifted; today's generation is wired differently and can contribute significantly if we nurture their potential effectively. We need a drastic overhaul of our teaching methodologies, which have become archaic and misaligned with contemporary needs.
The government must embrace experimental teaching methods. Enrolment criteria should be flexible and affordable, allowing access to high-quality education from esteemed institutions without financial barriers—think Harvard-based lecturers made available through incentives or partnerships. Moreover, there’s a palpable fear among mid-level professionals about job security amidst rapid technological change. To combat this anxiety, we need a culture of continuous learning—one that promotes innovation while providing businesses with flexibility through soft-touch regulations."
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Feb 01, 2025 10:30 IST
"Bridging gender gap can boost GDP", says entrepreneur Prachi Kaushik
Speaking to SheThePeople, Prachi Kaushik, Founder and Director, Vyomini Social Enterprise, shared insights on her expectations from the Union Budget 2025. She emphasised the role of women in uplifting the economy and ensuring sustainable long-term growth.
"As India strides toward economic growth, the upcoming budget presents a vital opportunity to prioritize the inclusion of women in the workforce with a focus on sustainability. Bridging the gender gap can significantly boost GDP and catalyze long-term growth," she said. "This requires targeted measures such as skill development programs, incentives for women-led enterprises, and infrastructure to support working women, such as affordable childcare and safe workplaces.
Kaushik added, "We believe inclusivity must go hand in hand with sustainability. Policies encouraging women entrepreneurs in sustainable sectors, access to green finance, and support for eco-friendly businesses led by women will ensure economic progress that respects environmental boundaries. By empowering women, especially in underserved communities, and fostering equitable participation, we can create a self-reliant, inclusive India that is both socially and ecologically resilient."
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Feb 01, 2025 10:16 IST
Finance Minister to propose Union Budget 2025 at 11 a.m.
All eyes are on Nirmala Sitharaman, who will unwrap the customary red envelope containing the fiscal plans for 2025-26 at 11 a.m. in the Parliament of India on February 1.
Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is all set to present #UnionBudget2025 in the Parliament today.
— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025
She will present and read out the Budget through a tab, instead of the traditional 'bahi khata'. pic.twitter.com/Iky9TSOsNWIn traditional Indian fashion, the Finance Minister started her day with a spoonful of curd and sugar, a symbol of good luck, ahead of the crucial announcement. Meanwhile, on January 31, India's President Droupadi Murmu proposed the economic survey 2025.
#WATCH | President Droupadi Murmu feeds Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman the customary 'dahi-cheeni' (curd and sugar) ahead of her Budget presentation.
— ANI (@ANI) February 1, 2025
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her 8th consecutive #UnionBudget, today in Parliament
(Source… pic.twitter.com/jZz2dNh59O