Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has delivered her shortest Union Budget speech this year, focusing on education, agriculture and farming, cryptocurrency, and the rolling out of 5G mobile services, among others.
Among key announcements are — a Digital University will be established to provide access to students which will be made available across multiple Indian languages and in an ICT model, and a Desh Stack e-portal will be launched to ensure a digital ecosystem for skilling and livelihood.
In a major push towards cryptocurrency, the FM said that India's own Rupee Bitcoin will be issued by the Reserve Bank of India in 2022-23. The Budget also announced infrastructure development plans including 400 new generation Vande Bharat trains and 100 new cargo terminals in the next three years.
The Modi-led government’s overarching vision is to strengthen an Aatmanirbhar Bharat for the next 25 years, termed as Amrit Kaal by the Prime Minister.
Netizens, of course, engaged with the 90-minute Budget speech with a slew of memes. Here are a few that will leave you laughing out loud.
On startups
Things are looking up for the startup ecosystem as FM announces raising blended capital to finance startups in the sector of agriculture and rural enterprise:
On taxes
Income tax rate directly impacts the majority of Indian households and the middle-class population’s impatience showed. However, the tax slabs remain unchanged.
When the Finance Minister finally began addressing taxpayer’s concerns by thanking them for their contributions:
One more because tax-related content makes for the most wholesome memes:
On Central Bank Digital Currency
After an eventful 2021 for cryptocurrency in India, Indians have to now pay tax on earnings from the digital asset. The Reserve Bank of India is also going to embrace blockchain technology and issue Digital Rupee. Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma and other leaders welcomed the move:
Tweeple’s reaction to tax on earnings from crypto is priceless:
Others
Stock market enthusiasts throughout the Budget announcement:
One can hope for the best:
As they say, every group has that one friend:
This one’s exclusively for those really tuned in to the Budget Speech. #IYKYK
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