The Union Budget will be presented on March 16, preceded by the Economic Survey on March 15 and the Railway Budget on March 14.
The government has realised that this is earliest window of opportunity it has to present the Budget, and wants the election process at the five states to be completed before it comes to the house.
As the budget session will be the first meeting of Parliament in the calendar year, the President's address to the joint assembly of both Houses is scheduled for March 12. The government intends to have a two-day discussion on the President's Address, and will follow it with the budget exercise.
"Prudence demands that we start the legislative process only after the polling process (to five assemblies) is over. This means the results are notified. This is followed by Holi holidays. Therefore, the earliest we can start the budget session is March 12," a senior minister said.