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From 6 pillars of Budget 2021 to tax proposals: Decoding the fineprint

In her Budget speech that lasted for around 1 hour and 45 minutes, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman doled out enormous amounts for railways, roadways, health care, education as well as the agriculture sector. Besides, the finance minister laid out a new import structure along with proposals for a conducive environment to usher in investments into FinTech, insurance and Start-ups. Further, the minister set aside Rs 20,000 crore for public sector bank re-capitalisation and gave a push to digital payments and research in Artificial Intelligence. Business Standard's Shrimi Choudhary analyses the key announcements made by the finance minister in this video.

Budget 2021 for sectors: Key takeaways from FM Sitharaman's speech

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday proposed to unleash a massive fiscal expansion in 2021-22 on the back of fire sales and cesses, to revive India's pandemic-battered economy. Accordingly, she proposed to increase the capital expenditure by 34 per cent in Budget 2021-22 in comparison to the previous fiscal BE (Budget Estimate). In her Budget speech that lasted for around 1 hour and 45 minutes, she doled out enormous amounts for railways, roadways, health care, education as well as the agriculture sector. Watch the video for all key announcements.

What Budget 2021 has for rural India, agriculture? Explained in detail

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a major announcement in the Union Budget 2020-21 related to the agriculture sector on Monday, saying that the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund would also be available for Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) mandis. Sitharaman has announced to hike the target of agricultural loans (farm credit) to Rs 16.5 lakh crore in the Union budget. Apart from this, the budget for Sukshma Sinchai Yojana (micro-irrigation project) has also been doubled. Business Standard's Sanjeeb Mukherjee decodes the announcements of the finance minister and its likely impact on the agriculture sector.

Budget 2021 explained: LIC IPO announcement and what the market has liked

Budget 2021: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech announced that the initial public offer (IPO) of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) will be out in FY22. Business Standard's Samie Modak explains Finance Minister's key anno

Budget 2021 highlights: Relief for seniors above 75, other key announcements

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday unveiled the budget for fiscal 2021-22, that aims to shore up an economy badly-hit by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The economy is projected to contract 7.7% in the current fiscal year, although the government forecasts growth of 11% for the coming fiscal year, after a massive Coronavirus vaccination drive and a rebound in consumer demand and investments. Watch the video for major highlights

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents Union Budget 2021-22

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget 2021 on February 1. The Budget is an estimate of income and expenditure of the government for a set period of time. It is an annual financial statement of India. The Budget also documents how much money the Centre could expect to raise in the coming fiscal and how and where it would spend the money. The Budget is prepared by the Ministry of Finance in consultation with other ministries, states and experts. Ministry officials hold discussions with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector and other stakeholders before preparing the Budget.

BS Views of the Week: Why can't states opposed to farm laws be allowed to accept them later?

From the enigma behind the Indian economy’s better-than-expected recovery to why Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah need Yogi Adityanath to win UP again, here's what Business Standard columnists wrote this week.

Fiscal slippage likely, ignore rating agencies: Economic Survey highlights

India's economic growth is likely to rebound with a 11 per cent growth in the next financial year as it makes a 'V-shaped' recovery after witnessing a pandemic-led carnage, the Pre-Budget Economic Survey said on Friday. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is projected to contract by a record 7.7 per cent in the current fiscal ending March 31, 2021. India witnessed its last annual contraction of 5.2 per cent in fiscal year 1979-80. watch the video for key highlights of Economic Survey.

What does Dalal Street expect from the Union Budget? Here's a lowdown

The Union Budget is just around the corner and while all Union Budgets are important, this one would be even more keenly eyed as it comes on the heels of an unprecedented pandemic that has substantially altered India's economic landscape. Led by back-to-back GDP contraction for the two quarters in FY21, India even entered 'technical recession' and rendered millions jobless. In this backdrop, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has a daunting task ahead of her to not only ramp-up growth but also create employment opportunities. Here's a quick glance at 5 things, D-Street is expecting from the Union Budget.

Beyond headlines: The various elements of the Budget & what they mean to us

Did you know that the finance minister's Budget speech has no legal sanctity in India? Yes, there is no provision for the Budget speech under the Constitution of India or any law. It is in addition to what is provided under various laws. Technically, once the FM has presented the three key documents, the Budget exercise is over, says our in-house policy expert A K Bhattacharya in his special video series Beyond Budget Headlines with AKB, as he explains the important areas that we should focus on while listening to the finance minister's speech. Union Budget 2021-22 which will be presented on 1st February 2021 will be the first budget in the history of India in the paperless form. >

Beyond Budget Headlines: Oil sector may come to the govt's rescue this year

Every Budget has something to offer for the oil sector. Oil prices have been rising because of global demand amid a stringent environment of regulations. So, what is Budget 2021 going to do for the oil sector? Boosting revenue collection will be a challenge if oil prices rise and the government has to roll back excise duty hikes, says our in-house policy expert A K Bhattacharya. He also points out that the disinvestment revenue that can be mobilised from the oil sector will be a key factor for Budget. In the seventh episode of Beyond Budget Headlines with AKB, Business Standard’s special video series in the run-up to Budget 2021, we also discuss the expenditure side challenges to the Budget, how to boost foreign investment, and opportunities in Budget to boost jobs and growth.

Union Budget made easy: Five key things you need to know

Do you get intimidated by Budget terminology? Business Standard's Bindisha Sarang explains a glossary of terms used by the Finance Minister in her speech on February 1. Watch this short video on five key things you should about the Union Budget.

Union Budget: Key terms and some interesting facts you should know

Do you know former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was the first woman to have presented the Union Budget? Do you know what Nirmala Sitharaman means when she utters the word ‘fiscal deficit’ in her budget speech? Watch the video to know about the key terms used in Finance Minister's speech and some interesting facts about India's Budget.

Beyond Budget Headlines: Raising tax exemption limit a 'dangerous' proposal

The Budget is going paperless. The move was expected, as printing documents during Covid pandemic is problematic. So, how should people access the documents? In the sixth episode of ‘Beyond Budget Headlines with AKB’, Business Standard’s special video series in the run-up to Budget 2021, we also discuss the speculation and consequences of raising the tax exemption limit and the possibilities of implementing a Covid cess or surcharge. The move of raising exemption limit could see income tax rates increasing for those earning above Rs 5 lakh, says our in-house policy expert A K Bhattacharya, as he terms it a 'dangerous' proposal. Spurring demand or increasing investments -- what is the bigger challenge for the Finance Minister in this Budget? Watch this episode to learn why it would be prudent for the government to allocate more for capital expenditure

BS Views of the Week: Dark clouds and silver linings

From the historical precedent for budgets presented after a contraction in the economy to what unicorns' coming of age means for big business and retail investors, here's what Business Standard columnists wrote this week.

Beyond Budget Headlines: Health & education deserve more outlay, attention

Healthcare and education are some of the important sectors that are usually not given the attention they deserve in India’s Union Budgets. It has been so for many years. But the situation this time is different. At a time when the country – indeed, the entire world – is working to tide over a health crisis presented by the coronavirus pandemic, will Budget 2021 make a departure from the trend and place its expenditure focus on these sectors? In the fifth episode of ‘Beyond Budget Headlines with AKB’, Business Standard’s special video series in the run-up to Budget 2021, we discuss about the expenditure side of the Budget and look at sectors that have traditionally not been India's top expense areas but are now in the spotlight because of recent developments. The government needs to loosen its purse string in this pandemic Budget and spend more on the health sector, says our in-house policy expert A K Bhattacharya.

Beyond Budget Headlines: Govt should standardise income-tax rates, widen base

The year 2020 was no ordinary year and so the Budget 2021 will also not be an ordinary budget. We have had enough indication from the government that the public spending momentum will continue and fiscal deficit will not be a big cause of worry for the Finance Minister. But what should Budget do to boost investment and spur economic recovery? Don't underestimate the importance of increasing investment, says Business Standard's in-house policy expert A K Bhattacharya, as the demand recovery will require more investment to be made. Watch the fourth episode of our special pre-Budget video series, Beyond Budget Headlines with AKB, to also learn why shrinking tax base is a huge challenge and bank recapitalisation is the need of the hour.

Beyond Budget Headlines with AKB: Why bad banks are a bad, bad idea

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been saying that Budget 2021 will not be like any other before. What might that mean? Coming against the backdrop of a pandemic that has, arguably, wrecked the economy like never before, it could mean she has more big-ticket relief measures up her sleeve. But it could also mean, says Business Standard's in-house policy expert A K Bhattacharya, that she is preparing the nation for something unpleasant -- something like a one-time Covid tax to raise additional funds to push through more spending and help expedite economic recovery. Watch this video to also learn which big schemes could get more funding and which the axe, and if setting up multiple bad banks would be a good idea.

Beyond Headlines: Govt must invest in small-gestation projects to expedite recovery

Many think that the Narendra Modi government has spent a lot this year, especially to mitigate issues faced by people in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. But has it? It’s true that the government has announced stimulus packages to the tune of Rs 30 trillion. But if one were to make a comparison, the govt expenditure this year (till October-end) was roughly the same as last year. Given that expenditure was budgeted to be 13 per cent more this year, it is expected that the finance minister will spend more to expedite economic recovery. But where should she spend? Infrastructure, many say. Yes, of course the government should spend on infrastructure, but will that yield immediate benefits? Watch the video to learn more >

Beyond headlines: Will Budget 2021 be pandemic Budget or lockdown Budget?

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget 2021 is set to be one of the most important Budgets in India’s history. Even if the economic growth was flagging for a couple of quarters before the coronavirus struck, the pandemic and the nationwide lockdowns to contain its spread dealt a body blow to economic activities. Coming as it against this backdrop, the Budget will be keenly watched by all for more policy moves to prop up the economy. In the first of a series of videos in the run-up to the Budget, Business Standard Editorial Director A K Bhattacharya gives his expert views on what to expect from this Budget.