Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the Budget 2025-26 on Saturday, announcing key reforms to tax exemptions and more.
Sitharaman emphasized that the new budget would focus on accelerating employment-led growth through strategic investments in agriculture, rural development, and exports. “This budget is dedicated to accelerating growth, driven by our aspirations for a ‘Viksit Bharat.’ Our economy remains the fastest growing among all major economies,” she declared in the Lok Sabha.
Under the new income tax regime, it was also announced that those with annual income up to Rs 12 lakh will be exempted from income tax, with the threshold rising to Rs 12.75 lakh for salaried taxpayers after considering standard deductions.
While the budget aimed at propelling India’s growth, it also ignited a wave of creativity, with social media users, showcasing their filmi side as they flooded platforms with memes and posts that humorously captured their reactions to the announcements. Netizens drew parallels between the budget and popular film characters, likening the budget for Bihar to Ranbir Kapoor’s repetitive ‘Papa’ dialogue in ‘Animal’ and Alia Bhatt’s ‘Shiva’ dialogue in ‘Brahmastra’.
Others humorously compared the new income tax bracket to a scene from ‘3 Idiots’. Fans of Rajinikanth didn’t miss out either, with some equating the government’s ambitious growth plans to a scene from the superstar’s film.
Hollywood references weren’t far behind, with several users using scenes from The Boys and Euphoria to express their emotions over the new policies.
The budget, which covers critical areas such as taxation, power, urban development, mining, the financial sector, and regulatory reforms, aims to drive growth, enhance infrastructure, and promote sustainable development.
