President Droupadi Murmu feeds 'dahi-chini' (curd and sugar) to the Union FM as a mark of good luck before the session in the Lok Sabha. PIC/ PTI
Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, Chief Economic Adviser Dr V Anantha Nageswaran, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Chairman Ravi Agrawal, and other senior officials of the Finance Ministry were seen accompanying the Finance Minister ahead of the presentation
The FM will also lay on the table two statements under Section 3(1) of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003—the Medium-term Fiscal Policy-cum-Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement and the Macro-economic Framework Statement
According to the List of Business, the Finance Minister will seek leave to introduce the Finance Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha and will formally introduce the Bill, which gives legal effect to the government’s financial proposals
On Thursday, Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey of India 2025–26 in Parliament, following the long-standing tradition of presenting the survey ahead of the Union Budget. The Economic Survey serves as the nation’s official annual “report card” on the economy, offering a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of economic performance over the past year and outlining a broad roadmap for future policy direction
Prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the leadership of the Chief Economic Adviser, the survey is presented in two parts, each focusing on different aspects of the economy
While the Union Budget lays out future government spending, taxation, and policy measures, the Economic Survey provides the analytical basis for these decisions by examining past trends and performance
The Budget Session will comprise 30 sittings over 65 days and is scheduled to conclude on April 2. Both Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9, allowing Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments
Sitharaman was seen holding the digital tablet, encased in a traditional red ‘bahi-khata’ style pouch, alongside Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary at the Parliament premises ahead of the Budget presentation
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