Morning Digest: Hopes running high of tax cut as Nirmala Sitharaman presents record 8th budget; seven outgoing AAP MLAs resign ahead of Delhi polls, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on February 11, 2025

Hopes running high of tax cut as Nirmala Sitharaman presents record 8th budget

A cut or tweak in income tax rates/slabs to ease the burden of the middle class struggling with high prices and stagnant wage growth is widely expected in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s record-setting eighth consecutive Budget. Expectations of relief on income tax, particularly for lower middle class, is high after Prime Minister Narendra Modi invoked goddess of wealth for elevating poor and middle class.

Economy’s fundamentals robust amid ‘strong downsides’: Economic Survey

India’s economy is expected to grow in the range of 6.3% and 6.8% in 2025-26 from an estimated 6.4% this year, according to the Economic Survey for 2024-25, tabled in Parliament on Friday. It noted that the fundamentals of the domestic economy remain robust, with upsides to investment, output, and disinflation in the coming year peppered by “equally strong, prominently extraneous, downsides”.

Seven outgoing AAP MLAs resign ahead of Delhi polls

With less than a week before the Assembly polls in Delhi, at least seven outgoing AAP MLAs have resigned from the party. Sources said these MLAs were disgruntled after being denied tickets for the February 5 polls and were touch with other parties.

Economic Survey a powerful indictment of economic policies pursued by Modi government: Congress