The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has received a sharp boost in funding in the Union Budget 2025–26, with an allocation of Rs 96,777 crore, a 52 per cent increase over the revised estimate of Rs 63,670 crore in 2024–25. The allocation accounts for around 1.9 per cent of total central government expenditure and roughly 0.3 per cent of India’s GDP, indicating renewed focus on urban infrastructure, housing, and public transport.&nbsp;Of the total outlay for 2025–26, the Ministry plans to spend 61 per cent on revenue expenditure and the remaining 39 per cent on capital expenditure. Revenue spending has been budgeted at Rs 59,154 crore, an 85 per cent rise from the revised estimate of the previous year, while capital expenditure has been pegged at Rs 37,623 crore, up 19 per cent.&nbsp;Urban transport continues to dominate the Ministry’s spending priorities. Mass Rapid Transport Systems (MRTS) and metro rail projects account for the largest share of the budget, with an allocation of Rs 34,807 crore, or 36 per cent of the total outlay. This marks a 22 per cent increase over the revised estimate for 2024–25, reflecting the government’s push to expand metro networks and ease congestion in cities.<h3>PMAY–Urban</h3>Housing remains another major focus area as PMAY–Urban, including PMAY 2.0, has been allocated Rs 23,294 crore, making up 24 per cent of the Ministry’s budget and registering a 54 per cent increase over the previous year’s revised estimate. The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), aimed at improving basic urban services such as water supply and sewerage, has also seen a substantial rise, with allocations jumping 67 per cent to Rs 10,000 crore.&nbsp;Several new and expanded initiatives feature prominently in the budget. A fresh allocation of Rs 10,000 crore has been announced for the Urban Challenge Fund, while Rs 2,500 crore has been earmarked for a new industrial housing scheme. Funding for the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban has more than doubled to Rs 5,000 crore, and the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme has seen a 162% increase to Rs 1,310 crore. In contrast, no allocation has been made for the Smart Cities Mission in 2025–26.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/gold-surges-past-5-500-silver-tops-120-amid-iran-tensions-us-fed-pause-and-weakening-dollar-1769682949030">Gold surges past $5,500, silver tops $120 amid Iran tensions, US Fed pause and weakening dollar</a>

The notable success of India’s telecom sector comes under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, as exports rose by 1.5 per cent average annual growth rate (AAGR) between FY21 and FY25. By contrast, imports fell by 18.5 per cent during the same point of time.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has received a sharp boost in funding in the Union Budget 2025–26, with an allocation of Rs 96,777 crore, a 52 per cent increase over the revised estimate of Rs 63,670 crore in 2024–25. The allocation accounts for around 1.9 per cent of total central government expenditure and roughly 0.3 per cent of India’s GDP, indicating renewed focus on urban infrastructure, housing, and public transport. Of the total outlay for 2025–26, the Ministry plans to spend 61 per cent on revenue expenditure and the remaining 39 per cent on capital expenditure. Revenue spending has been budgeted at Rs 59,154 crore, an 85 per cent rise from the revised estimate of the previous year, while capital expenditure has been pegged at Rs 37,623 crore, up 19 per cent. Urban transport continues to dominate the Ministry’s spending priorities. Mass Rapid Transport Systems (MRTS) and metro rail projects account for the largest share of the budget, with an allocation of Rs 34,807 crore, or 36 per cent of the total outlay. This marks a 22 per cent increase over the revised estimate for 2024–25, reflecting the government’s push to expand metro networks and ease congestion in cities. PMAY–Urban Housing remains another major focus area as PMAY–Urban, including PMAY 2.0, has been allocated Rs 23,294 crore, making up 24 per cent of the Ministry’s budget and registering a 54 per cent increase over the previous year’s revised estimate. The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), aimed at improving basic urban services such as water supply and sewerage, has also seen a substantial rise, with allocations jumping 67 per cent to Rs 10,000 crore. Several new and expanded initiatives feature prominently in the budget. A fresh allocation of Rs 10,000 crore has been announced for the Urban Challenge Fund, while Rs 2,500 crore has been earmarked for a new industrial housing scheme. Funding for the Swachh Bharat Mission–Urban has more than doubled to Rs 5,000 crore, and the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme has seen a 162% increase to Rs 1,310 crore. In contrast, no allocation has been made for the Smart Cities Mission in 2025–26. Also read: Gold surges past $5,500, silver tops $120 amid Iran tensions, US Fed pause and weakening dollar

The notable success of India’s telecom sector comes under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, as exports rose by 1.5 per cent average annual growth rate (AAGR) between FY21 and FY25. By contrast, imports fell by 18.5 per cent during the same point of time.

Big push for cities as Urban Affairs allocation jumps to Rs 96,777 Cr, gets 52% funding boost: Check other sectors

India’s telecom sector has witnessed a major transformation over the past decade, driven by the government’s vision of a digitally empowered nation, according to a report in the Economic Survey 2025–26. Policy efforts have focused on building a telecom ecosystem that is inclusive, developed, fast-moving, and secure, with an emphasis on universal connectivity and rapid technological adoption.&nbsp;The sector’s growth is reflected in rising tele-density, which increased from 75.23 per cent to 86.76 per cent, helping narrow the digital divide between rural and urban areas. A sharp fall in wireless data tariffs has fuelled a surge in average monthly data consumption, underlining the importance of affordability in mass digital adoption. The survey also notes that 5G services are now available in 99.9 per cent of districts across the country, marking a significant milestone in India’s digital infrastructure expansion.<h3>The telecom sector comes under the production-linked incentive (PLI)&nbsp;</h3>The notable success of India’s telecom sector comes under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, as exports rose by 1.5 per cent average annual growth rate (AAGR) between FY21 and FY25. By contrast, imports fell by 18.5 per cent during the same point of time.&nbsp;To foster domestic manufacturing of telecom gear, the PLI scheme was launched in 2021 with an outlay of Rs 12,195 crore, which has attracted more than Rs 4,700 crore in investments. This enabled more than Rs 1,00,000 crore sales, including Rs 21,000 crore exports, and also generated nearly 30,000 jobs. The telecom equipment exports in the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) alone rose by 51.2 per cent year-on-year, as per the document.&nbsp;“This trend indicates an early accomplishment in import substitution, aligning with the PLI framework's overarching objective of enhancing market penetration abroad,” the document, published ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s union budget announcement on February 1 (Sunday), said.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/gold-surges-past-5-500-silver-tops-120-amid-iran-tensions-us-fed-pause-and-weakening-dollar-1769682949030">Gold surges past $5,500, silver tops $120 amid Iran tensions, US Fed pause and weakening dollar</a>

The survey also notes that 5G services are now available in 99.9 per cent of districts across the country, marking a significant milestone in India’s digital infrastructure expansion.

India’s telecom sector has witnessed a major transformation over the past decade, driven by the government’s vision of a digitally empowered nation, according to a report in the Economic Survey 2025–26. Policy efforts have focused on building a telecom ecosystem that is inclusive, developed, fast-moving, and secure, with an emphasis on universal connectivity and rapid technological adoption. The sector’s growth is reflected in rising tele-density, which increased from 75.23 per cent to 86.76 per cent, helping narrow the digital divide between rural and urban areas. A sharp fall in wireless data tariffs has fuelled a surge in average monthly data consumption, underlining the importance of affordability in mass digital adoption. The survey also notes that 5G services are now available in 99.9 per cent of districts across the country, marking a significant milestone in India’s digital infrastructure expansion. The telecom sector comes under the production-linked incentive (PLI) The notable success of India’s telecom sector comes under the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme, as exports rose by 1.5 per cent average annual growth rate (AAGR) between FY21 and FY25. By contrast, imports fell by 18.5 per cent during the same point of time. To foster domestic manufacturing of telecom gear, the PLI scheme was launched in 2021 with an outlay of Rs 12,195 crore, which has attracted more than Rs 4,700 crore in investments. This enabled more than Rs 1,00,000 crore sales, including Rs 21,000 crore exports, and also generated nearly 30,000 jobs. The telecom equipment exports in the fiscal year 2025 (FY25) alone rose by 51.2 per cent year-on-year, as per the document. “This trend indicates an early accomplishment in import substitution, aligning with the PLI framework's overarching objective of enhancing market penetration abroad,” the document, published ahead of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s union budget announcement on February 1 (Sunday), said. Also read: Gold surges past $5,500, silver tops $120 amid Iran tensions, US Fed pause and weakening dollar

The survey also notes that 5G services are now available in 99.9 per cent of districts across the country, marking a significant milestone in India’s digital infrastructure expansion.

5G in 99.9% districts, data cheaper than ever: How India’s telecom sector transformed in a decade

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Big push for cities as Urban Affairs allocation jumps to Rs 96,777 Cr, gets 52% funding boost: Check other sectors

5G in 99.9% districts: How India’s telecom sector transformed in a decade