Budget 2025-26: FM Sitharaman announces measures for making India a global toy hub

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the eight consecutive Budget of the NDA government, shared the blueprint of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ and made key announcements, centering primarily on four key segments — women, youth, farmers and the poor.

The Finance Minister announced implementation of schemes to facilitate and scale up toy manufacturing, thus giving an impetus to the ‘Make in India’ campaign.

She also announced the setting up of a toy manufacturing ecosystem and clusters for creating skilled labour.

FM Sitharaman highlighted that this is the budget to meet the aspirations of the GYAN (Garib, Yuva, Annadata and Nari shakti) the poor, farmers, women and the youth.

Underlining the government’s focus on empowering the marginalised, she announced a new scheme for 5 lakh women, SCs, STs, where first-time entrepreneurs will be given loans up to Rs 2 crore.

She announced social security for 1 crore gig workers and also informed that ID cards would be issued to gig workers to avail government services.

For the agriculture sector, she announced measures, aimed at benefitting 1.75 crore farmers in the country

“Motivated by the success of the Aspirational Districts Programme, the Centre in collaboration with state governments, will launch the Prime Minister Krishi Yojana to enhance agricultural development,” said FM Sitharaman.

Besides a slew of announcements, the Finance Minister also disclosed transformative reforms across 6 domains, which will augment the country’s growth potential and global competitiveness. The domains include: Taxation, power sector, urban development, mining, financial sector and regulatory reforms.

The Budget Session of Parliament, which commenced on Friday, will be conducted in two phases. The first started on January 31 and will conclude on February 13, while the second phase will begin on March 10 and end on April 4.

–IANS