New Delhi: It’s a Budget that had a little something for everyone — some relief (much needed) for the middle class in the form of income tax slab set at Rs 12 lakh, there are more medical seats introduced, the IITs will see massive expansion, some life saving drugs see complete exemption of basic duties… the positives are aplenty. But what stands out from the Budget of today, is that it is for the TODAY! As Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman, who presented her 8th consecutive budget, said at the press conference later in the day, the document was responding to the voice of the people.

How true.

In keeping with the demand of the times, Sitharaman’s Budget 2025, had everything that new age India needed and deserved. There was a call for encouraging the start-ups culture in India, a demand for increased focus on Artificial Intelligence, and also some inspiration was of dire need for the uplift of India’s spatial pursuits. Budget 2025 has ticked all these boxes emphatically so. From setting up centres of excellence for AI in schools with an outlay of Rs 500 crore to a fresh Rs 10,000 crore Fund of Funds (FFS) for the start-ups, and also an allocation of Rs 20,000 crore towards implementing private sector driven Research, Development and Innovation initiative. There’s money where it needs to be!

While most of the key announcements have been hailed by experts as being progressive and in the right direction, there are some areas which needed the push more than the others. The NDA government’s Budget 2025 has not disappointed in these core sectors. There is no doubt that all eyes are on innovation, tech and geo-space prowess and India would need to start NOW in order to get somewhere noteworthy. The Budget has taken all of this into........

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