The union budget, 2024–25

These are actuals, what was really spent, published after the year closed.

₹46,52,867 crore

total union government expenditure in 2024–25. Latest final figures.

What it paid for

Interest and debt service Interest payments and the servicing of public debt from previous borrowing. It is usually the second largest thing the union spends on, and it is a legally committed charge rather than a discretionary programme. ₹11.2 lakh cr
Defence and security The armed forces, defence pensions and production, home affairs, police and border management. ₹7.88 lakh cr
Transport, housing and infrastructure Railways, roads, ports, civil aviation, telecommunications, housing and urban development. ₹7.59 lakh cr
Agriculture and rural development Farming, irrigation, fisheries, food processing, and programmes aimed at rural livelihoods. ₹4.96 lakh cr
Health and social protection Health and family welfare, pharmaceuticals, women and child development, social justice and tribal affairs. ₹4.50 lakh cr
Grants to states and union territories Union grants to state governments and the budgets of the union territories — Finance Commission grants, special assistance and territory administration. Not the states’ constitutional share of taxes, which is deducted earlier and sits outside this budget. ₹3.74 lakh cr
Government and public administration The central machinery of government: the legislature, judiciary, tax administration, external affairs and general services. ₹3.13 lakh cr
Energy, industry and the economy Power, petroleum, coal, mines, heavy industry, commerce, corporate affairs and financial services. ₹1.93 lakh cr
Education, skills and research School and higher education, skill development, and scientific and industrial research. ₹1.55 lakh cr
Culture, media and sport Arts and heritage, broadcasting and information, tourism, youth affairs and sport. ₹8,000 cr
Environment and climate Environment, forests and climate change, earth sciences, and new and renewable energy. ₹2,000 cr

Who spent it

The same money, grouped by ministry rather than by purpose. Both lists cover exactly the same rupees and both sum to the total above, checked at build time, not asserted.

All 56 ministries →

Before any of that: what the states received

₹12,86,885 crore went to the states as their constitutional share of central taxes, at the 41% rate the Fifteenth Finance Commission sets. This is deducted from receipts before the union spends anything, so it is not part of the total above and must never be added to it.

All 28 states →

What was collected

Gross tax revenue	₹37,96,382 crore
Of that, the divisible pool	₹31,38,744 crore
Not shareable with states	₹6,57,638 crore

The health and education cess

₹87,199 crore of cess was credited to earmarked reserve funds. Unlike ordinary tax it cannot pay for anything else, the funds may finance only the schemes they carry.

Prarambhik Shiksha Kosh Elementary education. The oldest of the three funds, carried over from the primary education cess that preceded the current levy. ₹42,000 cr
Madhyamik and Uchchatar Shiksha Kosh Secondary and higher education, including the central universities, the IITs and the NITs. ₹31,000 cr
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Nidhi Health. Created in 2021 to receive the health portion of the cess, which until then had no fund of its own. ₹14,000 cr

Other years

The union budget, 2025–26 ₹49.6 lakh cr · revised estimate, not yet final
The union budget, 2023–24 ₹44.4 lakh cr · final figures
The union budget, 2022–23 ₹41.9 lakh cr · final figures
The union budget, 2021–22 ₹37.9 lakh cr · final figures
The union budget, 2020–21 ₹35.1 lakh cr · final figures

Work out your own share of 2024–25