The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs suggested presenting the Union Budget for 2026–27 on February 1, despite it being a Sunday. This move aims to ensure timely implementation of budget proposals at the beginning of the financial year. The Budget Session will commence on January 28 with the President’s address to both Houses of Parliament.
The Economic Survey, which assesses the economy’s status, is scheduled to be presented in Parliament on January 29. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to deliver her ninth consecutive Union Budget, marking the 88th Budget since India’s Independence. Since 2017, the Union Budget has been unveiled at 11 am on February 1, following the government’s decision to advance the date from February 28.
This alteration was initiated during former finance minister Arun Jaitley’s tenure to expedite the implementation of budget proposals at the fiscal year’s commencement. While presenting the Budget on a weekend is not unprecedented, Sitharaman had previously presented the Union Budget 2025 on a Saturday. Former finance minister Arun Jaitley also presented the Union Budgets of 2015 and 2016 on Saturdays, which fell on February 28.
With this upcoming Budget, Sitharaman will achieve a historic feat by becoming the first finance minister to present nine consecutive Union Budgets. This milestone places her close to the record set by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented a total of 10 Budgets over two separate tenures. Notably, P Chidambaram presented nine Budgets, while Pranab Mukherjee presented eight during their respective tenures as finance ministers.
Nirmala Sitharaman was appointed as India’s first full-time woman finance minister in 2019, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s return to power for a second term. She has continued to hold the finance portfolio after the Modi-led government secured a third consecutive term in 2024.
