Union Finance Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman will present Budget 2025 on February 1 at a time when the Indian economy is showing signs of slowing down to an extent.
Moreover, government spending has slowed down and the economy is facing many challenges, like insufficient jobs and sluggish private investments.
That said, the Upcoming Budget 2025 provides the Government with an opportunity to revive the economy by addressing important concerns. Read this blog, as it provides key expectations for various sectors from the budget.
Key Expectations Related to the Infrastructure Sector
There is no denying that the infrastructure sector is the backbone of the Indian economy. Hence, like previous budgets, Union Budget 2025 is expected to give a boost to the country’s infrastructure. That said, Budget 2025 will be announced when India’s government spending has witnessed a slowdown. Hence, it remains to be seen how Ms. Sitharaman will give a boost to infrastructure amid the contraction in government spending. Nonetheless, major expectations with regard to the infrastructure sector are as follows:
Amid slowing government spending, the allocation to important ministries like Railways and Roads will be closely monitored because these are two of the most important sub-sectors of infrastructure.
If Budget 2025 announces large-scale projects, like additional Dedicated Freight Corridors, it will be a major positive development for the country’s infrastructure. Such corridors can reduce freight transportation costs, help improve delivery times, and make Indian industries more competitive.
What to Expect for the Banking & Financial Sector from the Union Budget 2025?
The banking sector is the engine of India’s economy, as it provides finance to all the major sectors. Hence, Budget 2025 may make some favourable announcements for the banking sector, as listed below:
Budget 2025 may announce capital infusion for select public sector banks and insurance companies. With additional capital, these institutions will be able to grow faster and will have more resources to deal with risks involved in their business. Hence, capital infusion will make them more robust.
The Government may announce a reduction in the loan limit to enforce the SARFAESI Act for non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) from ₹ 20 lakhs to ₹ 10 lakhs. This move will make it easier for NBFCs to recover smaller ticket loans.
Will Budget 2025 be a Game-Changer for the Auto Sector?
Union Budget 2025 is likely to give a boost to the automobile sector through a variety of measures, which are explained below:
Ms. Sitharaman may announce allocations under the PM E-Drive (Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement) and Auto PLI (Production Linked Incentive) Policy, which will encourage local manufacturing of electric vehicle components. This will boost not only the electric mobility sector but also the overall environment.
If Budget 2025 makes announcements to provide more money in the hands of consumers, it may give a boost to the auto sector. Some of these moves could be tax cuts, higher spending for rural schemes like MGNREGA scheme, increase in tax breaks for loans on housing loans, etc.
Additional Read: Union Budget 2025: What to Expect for Automobile Industry
Consumer Sector: What to Expect from Budget 2025?
As far as the consumer sector is concerned, the Upcoming Budget 2025 may turn out to be a mixed bag. Some of the likely announcements can affect consumers favourably, some a bit unfavourably.
The budget may announce a mid-to-high single digit increase in taxes on cigarettes.
Higher allocations are expected for PM Awas Yojana, aimed at providing housing for all in urban areas.
For the benefit of the lower and middle classes, Ms. Sitharaman may announce tax relief measures.
Key Expectations Related to the Pharma & Healthcare Sector
The pharma and healthcare sector is extremely important for the well-being of people in India. Rising healthcare costs have been a concern for some time now. In this context, Union Budget 2025 may make the following important announcements:
The government may announce tax deductions and PLI schemes for research and development initiatives, especially for anti-diabetic and weight-loss medications.
Budget 2025 could also moderately increase the funding for AIIMS and Ayushman Bharat.
Additional Read: Union Budget 2025: What to Expect for Healthcare Sector
Will the Oil & Gas Sector Get a Major Boost from Budget 2025?
Budget 2025 may announce support for the oil & gas sector in the form of compensation for LPG-related under-recoveries:
Oil marketing companies (OMCs) sell LPG cylinders at a subsidised rate in India, which results in huge under-recoveries for them. In FY 2024, no relief was provided for LPG under-recoveries.
Hence, it is expected that Budget 2025 may compensate OMCs for LPG under-recoveries.
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) is likely to be a major beneficiary if the Government announces compensation for LPG under-recoveries.
Conclusion
Many sectors of the Indian economy expect relief and support from Budget 2025. Meanwhile, the economy and government spending have signs of slowing down. In such a situation, Ms. Sitharaman may announce measures to boost the Indian economy without increasing government spending considerably. Overall, fiscal prudence and supporting the economy may turn out to be the themes of the upcoming budget.
Additional Read: Union Budget 2025: What to Expect for India’s Digital Economy