Today, Saturday, February 1, 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Union Budget for the 2025-26 financial year, marking a significant moment in India's economic journey. 

Focusing on the welfare of Gareeb (the poor), the Youth, Annadaata (farmers), and Naari (women), she announced a new initiative to support five lakh women from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities, with a particular emphasis on uplifting women from marginalised backgrounds.

Here are some key highlights of the announcement:

1) New scheme to be launched for 5 lakh women belonging to the SC &ST community

2) Government to provide term loans up to Rs 2 crore for the next five years.

3) The scheme will incorporate lessons from the 'Successful Standup India Scheme'.

4) The scheme will further emphasise online capacity building for entrepreneurship. Additionally, entrepreneurial skill workshops are to be organised to further educate women on these.

This time the budget is focused on growth, sustainability, and fiscal discipline, further aiming to align with the projection of India’s economy growing from 6.3% to 6.8% in the financial year 2026 and prioritising skill development, digital infrastructure, and innovation to bring a change in the Indian academic landscape.

India's first full-time female Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman previously presented six Union Budgets and one Interim Budget between 2019 and 2024. Today, she presented her eighth budget.