Union Budget 2024: When and Where to Watch

As India prepares for the Interim Budget 2024 scheduled for February 1, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has signaled a departure from major announcements. Given the impending Lok Sabha elections later in the year, this budget is slated to serve as a vote-on-account, with a comprehensive budget anticipated post the electoral process.

Despite the restrained approach, various sectors are anticipating significant considerations, encompassing calls for tax reductions, enhanced income-tax rebates, and the exclusion of GST from insurance policies.

How to Watch Budget 2024 Livestream?

The Union Budget announcement is scheduled for February 1 at 11 am. Nirmala Sitharaman's budget speech will be accessible through live streaming on India Today and Aaj Tak TV channels. For real-time updates, interested individuals can also follow live blogs on India Today and Aaj Tak. The speech will also be available on Doordarshan (DD) News and the website of the Press Information Bureau (PIB) as well as their YouTube channels.

Viewers also have the option to tune in to Sansad TV, a specialized television channel focusing on parliamentary matters. For those preferring online platforms, Sansad TV will concurrently stream the Budget speech live on its YouTube channel. We have embedded the link below for your convenience.

Nirmala Sitharaman's Remarkable Sixth Budget Presentation

This marks the sixth consecutive budget presentation for Nirmala Sitharaman, equalling the record set by Dr. Manmohan Singh. As India's inaugural full-time female finance minister, Sitharaman has presented five full budgets since she assumed office in July 2019.

With the forthcoming Interim Budget presentation, she will surpass the consecutive budget presentations made by her predecessors, Arun Jaitley, and Yashwant Sinha, both having presented five budgets in succession.

Sector-Specific Anticipations for Union Budget 2024

Despite the interim nature of this budget, the public anticipates Sitharaman to announce tax reductions, further extensions to the income-tax rebate threshold, revisions to the capital gain tax structure, additional benefits under the new tax regime, and the exclusion of GST from insurance policies.

The recruitment industry is also seeking budgetary provisions for workforce development, skill enhancement, and addressing regulatory frameworks pertaining to the gig economy and contingent workforce.

Industry experts are keenly observing targeted incentives tailored to specific sectors to stimulate investment, foster job creation, and encourage industrial expansion.

Additionally, women entrepreneurs are anticipating increased budgetary allocations to enhance their access to capital and augment equity-based funding. This would empower them to play a pivotal role in cultivating a more equitable business landscape in India.