Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 today at 11 am in Parliament, following the tabling of the Economic Survey. This budget is significant as it marks the first budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s third term in office.
This presentation will be Sitharaman’s seventh consecutive Union Budget, surpassing the record of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented five annual budgets and one interim budget during his tenure as finance minister. She also exceeds the records of former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Pranab Mukherjee, both of whom presented five consecutive budgets.
The Economic Survey, tabled earlier, describes the Indian economy as being on a “strong wicket and stable footing” despite ongoing geopolitical challenges. The Survey highlighted that the Indian economy has shown resilience and successfully consolidated post-Covid recovery, emphasizing that fiscal and monetary policies have been crucial in maintaining economic and financial stability.