Lack Of Incentives For Affordable Housing A Big Disappointment

The focus on middle-class relief, urban development, and connectivity is expected to stimulate real estate demand across various segments, making it an overall progressive and impactful budget. A national guidance framework will be introduced to help States attract and promote GCCs. This move is expected to fuel office space demand in major metros like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai, as well as Tier-II and Tier-III cities

The Union Budget for 2025-26 focused on economic expansion, infrastructure development, MSMEs, futuristic cities, and middle-class welfare, bringing substantial relief for the middle class. It also aims to stimulate rural consumption - an essential step toward unlocking India’s economic potential.

From a real estate perspective, the budget delivers both direct and indirect benefits, acting as a catalyst for growth. However, a notable shortfall was the absence of major announcements for the affordable housing sector, leaving stakeholders disappointed.

Despite this, the budget overall remains strong and growth-oriented, with a clear focus on economic development and enhanced consumption.

Key announcements impacting real estate

Income tax relief for the middle class: The Finance Minister announced zero income tax for individuals earning up to Rs 12 lakh annually, providing a major consumption boost. This move is also expected to strengthen demand for affordable housing. Additionally, the new income tax bill will retain nearly 50 per cent of existing provisions while introducing personal tax reforms and rationalizing TDS and TCS regimes by streamlining rates and thresholds.

Tax benefits for residential property investors: Investors can now claim nil valuation for two self-occupied properties, instead of just one - a positive move for residential real estate investment. The simplified TDS on rent decreases the compliance burden and enhances liquidity for landlords and will positively impact the rental housing market, especially in metro cities. Previously, homeowners could claim only one self-occupied property as tax-free; now, they can claim two - thereby removing taxation on notional rental income from a second home. This step minimizes tax pressures, promotes homeownership, and facilitates real estate investment, especially in second homes and Tier 2 and 3 cities.

Middle-class homebuyers, landlords, and investors can now benefit from reduced tax liabilities, better affordability, and less compliance hassles. By simplifying financial constraints and tax rules, the budget has made property ownership and rental housing more accessible. This gives a significant fillip to the real estate sector, specifically to and housing demand.

Rs 1-lakh-crore Urban Challenge Fund for New-Age Cities: The establishment of this massive urban development fund will enhance infrastructure, unlock real estate potential, and transform cities into major growth hubs.

SWAMIH Fund Allocation of Rs 15,000 crore: Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing (SWAMIH) Fund 2.0 will facilitate the completion of over 1 lakh stalled residential units, providing much-needed relief to homebuyers, especially in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Revamped UDAAN Scheme: The restructured UDAAN scheme aims to connect 120 new destinations and serve over four crore passengers in the next decade. Greenfield airports in Bihar and other regions will be developed to support this expansion. This enhanced connectivity is expected to boost real estate demand in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

PM Gati Shakti Data access: The government will open PM Gati Shakti data to private players, while 50 top tourist destinations will be developed in collaboration with State governments. Additionally, hotels will be included in the harmonized scheme for tourism infrastructure, leading to enhanced real estate opportunities in major tourist hubs. This will also benefit the warehousing sector across the country.

Support for Global Capability Centres (GCCs): A national guidance framework will be introduced to help States attract and promote GCCs, strengthening India’s position as a global business hub. Given India’s rising economic influence, this move is expected to fuel office space demand in major metros like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai, as well as Tier-II and Tier-III cities.

Rs 1.5-lakh crore fiscal support for MSMEs: The allocation of Rs 1.5 lakh crore to MSMEs is expected to spur capacity expansion, creating a ripple effect that will positively impact industrial real estate.

While the affordable housing sector saw fewer direct benefits, the budget is, overall, pro-growth, infrastructure-driven, and investment-oriented. The focus on middle-class relief, urban development, and connectivity is expected to stimulate real estate demand across various segments, making it an overall progressive and impactful budget.

(The author is Chairman of Anarock Group, a real estate consultancy)