Budget 2025 LIVE: Sitharaman to present her 8th consecutive budget; FM’s saree tributes Madhubani art

Budget 2025 LIVE: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will begin presentation of Union Budget 2025 at 11 am today. Read the latest news on Budget 2025 with our live coverage on the income tax slabs, impact on share market, and budget 2025 speech

Budget 2025 LIVE: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to start her record eighth budget presentation from 11 am today amid high hopes of tax relief. Delivering the first full budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government third term, Nirmala Sitharaman will register the feat of being the only finance minister to present Union Budget for eight consecutive times. The Union Budget 2025 has generated significant expectations as it will be the second budget under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term.

Nirmala Sitharaman, India’s first full-time woman Finance Minister who broke away from the colonial tradition of carrying a Budget briefcase and opted for traditional ‘bahi khata’ in her first budget presentation in July 2019, will be presenting the Union Budget 2025 in paperless from, through a tablet, as was done last year. Track income tax updates

Union Budget 2025 | Key points

-Budget time: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present the Union Budget for the financial year 2025–26 today, February 1. The presentation of Budget 2025 is expected to start at 11 am today.

-Nirmala Sitharaman’s 8th budget presentation: Nirmala Sitharaman will become the first finance minister to present the budget for eight consecutive times, however, she does not hold the record for presenting the most budgets.

-Budget Session 2025 in 2 phases: The Budget Session 2025 of Parliament commenced on Friday, January 31, with President Droupadi Murmu’s address to both Houses. According to the Parliamentary Bulletin, the Budget Session will be in two phases: The first that began January 31 includes the Union Budget presentation on February 1 and will conclude on February 13; the second part of the session will commence on March 10 and will conclude on April 4.

-Income tax relief on cards? According to sources cited across news reports, the government is considering hiking income tax slabs and enhancing the standard deduction to address the concerns of middle-class taxpayers amid rising inflation. The speculation of tax reliefs grew with PM Modi and President Droupadi Murmu referring to middle class multiple times in their addresses in Parliament on Friday.

-Stock market opens flat ahead of Budget 2025: Hours before the presentation of Union Budget 2025, stock market opened flat on Saturday. Stock market was open on Saturday in a special session for the Union Budget

Over the years, Sitharaman’s Budget Day sarees have become a topic of discussion and admiration. Each attire reflects a specific region’s craftsmanship:

· 2019: A pink Mangalgiri saree with a gold border from Andhra Pradesh.

· 2020: A vibrant yellow-gold silk saree, symbolizing prosperity.

· 2021: An off-white Pochampally saree from Telangana, featuring intricate ikat patterns.

· 2022: A rust brown Bomkai saree from Odisha’s Ganjam district, highlighting traditional handloom work.

· 2023: A red temple border saree from Karnataka’s Dharwad region, showcasing Kasuti embroidery.

· 2024: A blue tussar silk saree with Kantha handiwork from West Bengal.

Each selection underscores her commitment to promoting India’s diverse handloom traditions and the artisans behind them. As she presents the Budget today, her Madhubani-inspired saree serves as a reminder of the nation’s rich cultural tapestry intertwined with its economic narrative.