New Delhi [India], March 20 : Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday issued a three-line whip to all of its Lok Sabha MPs asking them to be present in the House for the passing of the Union Budget 2025-26.
"All BJP members in Lok Sabha are hereby informed that guillotining of various demands for Grants 2025-26 will be taken up for passing in the House on Friday. All members of BJP in Lok Sabha are, therefore, requested to be positively present in the House throughout the day and support the government's stands," the party said in its letter.
A guillotine is a parliamentary tactic used to expedite the passage of a bill without allowing further discussion. It is typically employed when the government wants to pass a bill quickly, but the opposition is delaying its progress.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 presented the Budget 2025-26 in the Parliament.
The Union Budget 2024-25 provided major relief to the salaried class with no income tax on an average monthly income of up to Rs one lakh to boost household savings and consumption with the government also giving thrust to four engines of development - agriculture, MSMEs, investment and exports.
The Finance Minister's announcement on tax relief means that the salaried class will pay nil income tax up to Rs 12.75 lakh.
Sitharaman highlighted the main goal of the budget, that of rolling out a "futuristic path for transforming India into a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047."With focus on "Garib, Youth, Annadata and Nari," the budget unveils new schemes and reforms in the sectors of agriculture, MSMEs, investments, exports, rural development, enabling employment, spurring domestic consumption and more."
The Union Budget seeks to astutely balance the nation's development priorities and fiscal imperatives.
FM Sitharaman mentioned that indirect tax under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) has significantly reduced over the years since its implementation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Union Budget 2025 as a "Force Multiplier" for India's development journey, describing it as a "budget of aspirations" for 140 crore Indians. He emphasized that this budget would fulfil the dreams of the people, with a strong focus on opening up several sectors for the youth.
"This is the budget of the aspirations of 140 crore Indians, this is a budget that fulfills the dreams of every Indian," PM Modi stated.
However, Opposition parties slammed the Budget, saying it was mainly focused on Bihar, where assembly elections will be held later this year.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh criticized the Union Budget 2025, claiming that Bihar received a "bonanza of announcements" while Andhra Pradesh whose ruling TDP is a key ally in the National Democratic Alliance at the Centre has been "cruelly ignored."
In a post on X, Jairam said, "Bihar appears to have got a bonanza of announcements. It is natural since elections are due there later in the year. But why has the other pillar of the NDA, namely Andhra Pradesh, been so cruelly ignored?"
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her Budget speech proposed to establish a Board for makhana or foxnuts, a nutritious food, that is widely produced and consumed in Bihar.
She also announced that Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar in addition to the expansion of the capacity of the Patna Airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta.
Presenting the Union Budget, FM Sitharaman said, "Greenfield airports will be felicitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the state. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport in Bihta."
She also highlighted the Western Kosi Canal ERM project in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.
"Financial support will be provided for the Western Kosi Canal ERM project benefitting a large number of farmers cultivating over 50,000 hectares of land in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar," she said.
The Finance Minister also announced the establishment of the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management in Bihar to provide a strong fillip to food processing activities in the entire Eastern region.