 "Budget 2024: Sitharaman tables sixth budget, equals Morarji Desai's record")
Budget 2024 updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on Thursday, equalled the record of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai by presenting six budgets in a row since 2019.
With this impressive feat, Sitharaman has become the only second finance minister in India's history to do so. Still, it is Morarji Desai who holds the record for tabling the most number of overall budgets by any finance minister at 10. Desai presented two interim Budgets, one in 1962 and another in 1967. Follow the full coverage of Budget 2024 here.
This year's budget is an interim one, where the government only seeks advance grants to meet the country's expenditure till a new government takes charge after the Lok Sabha elections.
PM Modi ahead of Budget session
Notably, a day before, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that while this would be an interim one, his government would "bring a full, consolidated budget after the elections", exuding confidence in a third-term win in the general elections.
He maintained that the budget would be centred on the theme of women's empowerment, and Sitharaman would present a Budget with disha nirdeshak baatein, a blueprint of intent.
Earlier today, Sitharaman was spotted with her team outside the finance ministry, holding the digital red 'bahi khata' ahead of the budget presentation.
Also Read: FM Sitharaman set to present her 6th Budget, showcases digital 'bahi khata'
Also Read: FM Sitharaman set to present her 6th Budget, showcases digital 'bahi khata'
Sitharaman meets President Murmu
Following that, Sitharaman and her team also met with President Droupadi Murmu before heading towards the Parliament for the main show.
Being an election year, while no major policy announcements are expected, the government is likely to focus on infrastructure spending, rural welfare and agriculture sector among others.
Notably, a fiscal prudence approach is anticipated in this year's budget since the Narendra Modi government has set a target to reduce the fiscal deficit to 4.50 per cent of GDP by the conclusion of the fiscal year 2025-26, down from the current year's 5.90 per cent.