Sun Feb 02 00:59:30 UTC 2025: ## Budget 2025 Focuses on Farmers, Youth, and Women; Tax Regime Choices Remain

**New Delhi, India** – Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 today, prioritizing the welfare of the poor (“Gareeb”), youth, farmers (“annadata”), and women (“naari”). The budget includes a significant investment in a nuclear energy mission aiming for 100 GW capacity by 2047, and major agricultural reforms. Bihar also received substantial funding.

While details of the budget are still emerging, a key feature is the continued availability of both the old and new income tax regimes, allowing taxpayers to choose the option most beneficial to them. Calculators are available online to assist in this decision.

The budget announcement has sparked debate, with opposition parties claiming the middle class received little benefit, while the ruling party highlights tax benefits up to ₹12 lakh. Market reaction remains cautious, with concerns around foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows. The government’s focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and a ₹20,000 crore investment in nuclear energy are also major talking points. The budget also addresses concerns in the aviation sector with a proposal for duty-free shopping.

Alongside the budget news, the Economic Times offers a range of online courses covering topics from programming (Java, Python, C++) and data science to digital marketing, financial literacy, and Microsoft Office suite proficiency.

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