At 5,255 Words And 57 minutes, Sitharaman Delivers Shortest Budget Speech Ever

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Interim Budget 2024-25 on Thursday, February 1st, making history with the shortest budget speech of her career. Her presentation clocked in at just 57 minutes, a significant departure from previous years where her speeches typically lasted around 90 minutes.

Sitharaman's succinct delivery spanned approximately 60 minutes, presenting the budget in a mere 57 minutes-setting a record for her shortest budget speech to date. This contrasts with her previous years, where she delivered more extensive speeches.

In 2023, the Finance Minister completed her budget speech in less than 90 minutes, showcasing a noticeable reduction compared to the previous year's duration of 92 minutes.

The recently presented Interim Budget 2024-25 brought forth several noteworthy announcements, with one of the key highlights being the extension of the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) to encompass all ASHA and Anganwadi workers. Surprisingly, no specific budget allocation was specified for this extension in the budget.

In the previous budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had allocated Rs 7,200 crore for the fiscal year 2024. Additionally, a substantial sum of Rs 88,956 crore was earmarked for the Health and Family Welfare Ministry in the same fiscal year, emphasizing the government's commitment to bolstering healthcare initiatives.

Another significant move in the budget pertains to the government's proposal to withdraw old disputed direct tax demands. The withdrawal will cover amounts up to Rs 25,000 until FY10 and Rs 10,000 for the period spanning 2010-11 to 2014-15. Finance Minister Sitharaman highlighted that this initiative would benefit approximately one crore taxpayers. The government's focus on enhancing services for taxpayers is evident in these efforts.