Nirmala Sitharaman

February 2, 2026 8:54 PM

STT hike on F&O meant to curb speculation, protect retail investors: Sitharaman

A day after the Union Budget announcement, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said the hike in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) on futures and options (F&O) trading is intended to discourage speculative activity and protect retail investors from mounting losses. Speaking to reporters, Sitharaman said she had received calls from parents expressing concern that their children were losing money in derivatives trading. “F&O is a highly speculative market,” she said, adding th...

February 2, 2026 12:09 PM

Sitharaman interacts with students after Budget presentation, calls for ‘better India’

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday interacted with 30 university students from across the country who witnessed the Union Budget 2026–27 presentation live from the Lok Sabha gallery. Addressing the Youth Dialogue on Budget 2026, Sitharaman described the interaction as a departure from the usual post-Budget practice of engaging with newspapers and television studios. She said the idea was proposed by her team as a way to connect directly with young people. “This tim...

February 1, 2026 9:45 PM

Union Budget 2026-27 proposes three new chemical parks

The Union Budget 2026-27 has proposed the establishment of three new dedicated Chemical Parks to strengthen domestic chemical manufacturing and reduce India’s dependence on imports. Presenting the Budget in the Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Chemical Parks will be developed through a challenge-based route on a cluster-based, plug-and-play model. The initiative is aimed at enhancing scale, efficiency and competitiveness in the chemicals sector. The government will als...

February 1, 2026 9:48 PM

Union Budget 2026-27 reaffirms commitment to affordable fertilisers and farmer support

The Union Budget 2026-27 has reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the timely availability of fertilisers to farmers at affordable prices, while supporting domestic production and promoting balanced and sustainable nutrient use. Presenting the Budget in Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced an estimated net allocation of ₹1.71 lakh crore for the Department of Fertilisers in 2026–27. The allocation aims to shield farmers from volatility in global fertiliser...

February 1, 2026 8:28 PM

Union Budget 2026-27 puts exports at core of growth strategy

The Union Budget 2026-27 places exports and international trade at the centre of India’s growth strategy, outlining a broad set of reforms and investments aimed at boosting employment, scaling manufacturing and strengthening India’s integration with global value chains. Anchored in fiscal discipline, macroeconomic stability and sustained public capital expenditure, the Budget advances a comprehensive agenda to position India as a competitive and resilient global trading partner, aligned wit...

February 1, 2026 8:18 PM

Union Budget 2026-27: FM Sitharaman announces major boost for Orange Economy and creative education

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday announced a series of initiatives in the Union Budget 2026-27 aimed at strengthening India’s Orange Economy and expanding creative education, with a special focus on youth and women. Presenting the Budget in Parliament, FM Sitharaman highlighted the rapid growth of India’s animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC) sector, noting that it is projected to require nearly two million skilled professionals by 2030. To support this demand, th...

February 1, 2026 7:56 PM

Agriculture Budget at Rs 1.32 lakh crore, focused on farmers’ progress and development: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday described the Union Budget 2026–27 as “historic and unprecedented”, saying it lays a strong foundation for building a developed and self-reliant India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing the media, Chouhan noted that this was the 12th Union Budget presented under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and the ninth consecutive Budget presented by ...

February 1, 2026 7:43 PM

Union Budget ushers in new era for pharma sector under leadership of PM Modi: JP Nadda

The Union Budget 2026-27 has laid the foundation for a transformative phase in India’s pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical sector, with a strong focus on innovation, self-reliance, and global competitiveness, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers J. P. Nadda said on Sunday. Lauding the budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Nadda described it as a “Viksit Bharat Budget” with a long-term vision under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He highlighted t...

February 1, 2026 7:35 PM

Amit Shah hails Union Budget 2026-27 as a blueprint for Viksit Bharat by 2047

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the Union Budget 2026–27, describing it as a “Viksit Bharat Budget” that lays a clear roadmap for building a developed India by 2047. In a series of posts on X, Shah said the Budget reflects the government’s firm resolve to pursue development with fiscal prudence while empowering every sector and section of society. He noted that the Budget successfully ke...

February 1, 2026 7:26 PM

Union Budget 2026-27: What gets cheaper, what gets costlier

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday presented the Union Budget 2026-27 in the Parliament. In her speech, FM Sitharaman said the Budget proposals are anchored on three pillars - faster growth, inclusive development and structural reform - with a continued focus on the poor and disadvantaged. What Gets Cheaper One of the most consumer-friendly measures is the sharp reduction in Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on overseas spending. TCS on overseas tour packages has been brought dow...