Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has tabled a second batch of supplementary demands for grants in the Lok Sabha, seeking approval for an additional expenditure of Rs 51,462.9 crore for the current financial year. This move aims to address key funding requirements, including pensions and fertiliser subsidies.
Key Highlights of the Additional Spending
- Total Gross Additional Spending: Rs 6.78 lakh crore, with Rs 6.27 lakh crore offset by savings and receipts, resulting in a net additional spending of Rs 51,462.9 crore.
- Fertiliser Subsidy: Rs 12,000 crore allocated to support farmers.
- Government Employee Pensions: Rs 13,449 crore, including the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS).
- Defence Pensions: Rs 8,476 crore earmarked for retired personnel.
- Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana: Rs 1,589.6 crore allocated to provide LPG connections to poor households.
Broader Financial Context
The supplementary demands for grants are part of the government’s strategy to meet its financial obligations for the year ending March 31. The Finance Minister also presented statements on Manipur’s estimated receipts and expenditures for 2025, along with supplementary grants for the state.
Union Budget 2025 Highlights
Earlier this year, Sitharaman presented her record 8th Union Budget, earmarking a total expenditure of Rs 50.65 lakh crore for FY25, a 7.4% increase over the previous year’s Revised Estimate. The fiscal deficit was pegged at 4.4% of GDP, reflecting the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Union Budget 2025 as a step toward his government’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India) vision. He emphasized the importance of stakeholder contributions in making the budget effective, particularly in areas like agriculture and rural prosperity.
This additional spending underscores the government’s focus on addressing critical needs while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
