Sensai
Reading the tape…Pulling live market data…Setting the scene…
Sensai
The most-published, least-read document in the country — the Union Budget for FY 2025-26 — turned into the one question you actually care about: where does your money go? Every rupee in, every rupee out, and your own income taxmapped onto national spending. Grounded in the government's own Budget at a Glance.
The Budget
The whole Budget scaled down to a single rupee — where it comes from, where it goes, and who moved up or down this year.
Four numbers that frame everything below — the size of the Budget and the gap it runs.
As of FY 2025-26 (Budget Estimates) · Union Budget 2025-26 — Budget at a Glance
The government's own chart, in paise per rupee — the biggest single line is money it borrows.
As of FY 2025-26 (Budget Estimates) · Union Budget 2025-26 — Budget at a Glance
For every rupee the government spends, the biggest slice — 24 paise — is borrowed, not earned. Income tax (22 paise) and GST (18 paise) come next, with corporation tax close behind. In other words, nearly a quarter of the Budget is funded by debt that future taxpayers will repay with interest, which is why the deficit matters.
Money the government borrows to cover the gap between what it earns and spends — tomorrow's taxpayers repay it with interest.
What individuals pay on their salaries and other income — the single largest tax head now.
The Goods & Services Tax you pay on almost everything you buy, plus smaller taxes.
Tax on company profits.
Dividends from public-sector firms and the RBI, spectrum fees, interest on loans the government has made.
Mostly the duty on petrol and diesel — a tax you pay at the pump.
Duty on imported goods.
Loan recoveries and disinvestment — selling stakes in public-sector companies.
Interest on past debt and the states' constitutional share take a huge slice before anything reaches a scheme.
As of FY 2025-26 (Budget Estimates) · Union Budget 2025-26 — Budget at a Glance
Before a single rupee reaches a scheme, two claims take 42 paise: the states' constitutional share of taxes (22 paise) and interest on past borrowing (20 paise). Interest buys nothing new — it's the price of years of deficits. What's left funds the Centre's own schemes, defence, subsidies and pensions.
The Constitution mandates a slice of central taxes be handed straight to state governments.
Interest on all the borrowing of past years — the single biggest spending head, and it buys nothing new.
Programmes the Centre runs and funds entirely on its own.
Programmes the Centre and states jointly fund and run.
Grants to states and local bodies as recommended by the Finance Commission.
The armed forces — salaries, equipment and modernisation (pensions are counted separately below).
The government absorbing part of the price of essentials so you pay less.
Pensions for retired government and defence personnel.
Everything else — running ministries, grants, and other transfers.
The biggest ministry budgets, each with its move versus last year's Budget Estimate.
Largest single ministry; roughly a quarter is pensions.
National highway building — a big share of the capex push.
Includes MGNREGA rural jobs and rural roads & housing.
Track, rolling stock and safety; near-flat this year.
Central police forces, borders and the Union Territories.
PM-KISAN cash transfers, crop insurance and support.
Schools and higher education combined.
Ayushman Bharat, hospitals and public-health programmes.
You
The abstract lakh-crores made personal: what you actually pay, and where the government sends it.
Enter your income. We compute the tax you actually pay under the new regime, then split it across the Budget's own spending heads.
Split in the Budget's own proportions, your ₹1,50,800 of income tax maps onto national spending like this:
Roughly ₹57,304 of your income tax goes to services the Centre delivers directly — its own schemes, shared schemes, subsidies and defence. The rest services past debt or is passed to the states. New-regime tax including 4% cess; deductions beyond the standard one are ignored. Splits as of FY 2025-26 (Budget Estimates).
Learn
Ask anything about how the Budget works, then test what stuck.
Deficits, devolution, subsidies, taxes — explained in plain English. Neutral and non-political; it teaches, it won't take sides.
Six questions on the concepts on this page. Did they stick?
In the Union Budget's own 'rupee comes from' chart, what is the single largest source?
Sensai publishes educational market commentary, not investment advice. We are not SEBI-registered investment advisers or research analysts, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security.
Live prices, index levels, and other market data are pulled from third-party feeds, may be delayed, and can be inaccurate or unavailable. Do not rely on them for trading decisions.
Investing in equities carries risk, including the loss of principal. Always do your own research and consider consulting a SEBI-registered adviser before making any investment decision.