On Saturday, February 1, 2025, while presenting the Budget 2025, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that individuals earning up to ₹12 lakh annually would not have to pay any tax. Regarding this, on Sunday, February 2, 2025, she stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi fully supported the idea of tax cuts, but it took some time to convince the bureaucrats.

In an interview with news agency PTI, he said, “The Prime Minister had clearly stated that he wanted to take action. The ministry first needed to feel comfortable and then move forward with the proposal. Therefore, the board needed to do more work to ensure that tax collection became more efficient and that taxpayers’ voices were heard honestly. All of this was the ministry’s responsibility, not the Prime Minister’s.”

“PM Modi Listens to People from All Sections of Society”

He stated that, like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his government has always listened to people from various sectors. The Finance Minister said, “He (Prime Minister Modi) meets with them, talks to them, and seeks their opinions. Just as he engages with the most deprived sections, including tribal communities—especially the most vulnerable tribal groups—he listens to their concerns, much like the President was very keen on addressing their issues. Similarly, the Prime Minister listens to people from all sections of society. That is why I am very happy to be a part of this government, which genuinely listens and responds.”

PM Modi Praises Budget 2025

Praising the budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Usually, the focus of a budget is on how to fill the government’s treasury, but this budget is entirely different. It focuses on how citizens’ pockets will be filled, how their savings will increase, and how they will become partners in development. This budget lays a very strong foundation for that.”