Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for the financial year 2026–27 in Parliament on Sunday, February 1. This will be the first time the annual budget will be tabled on a Sunday.Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla confirmed the date last month. This will be Sitharaman’s eighth Budget presentation in Parliament, making her one of the longest-serving finance ministers in terms of Budget speeches.The announcement follows union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju’s declaration of the Budget Session schedule. The session, the first Parliament session of the year, will be held in two phases between January 28 and April 2.
Prepared ahead of every financial year, the Union Budget is a statement of the government’s estimated receipts and expenditures for the coming year. Under Article 112 of the Constitution, it lays out the fiscal roadmap for the country and must be passed by both Houses of Parliament before the new financial year begins on April 1.The budget-making process usually begins around August or September, nearly six months before its presentation. Ahead of finalising the proposals, the finance minister holds pre-budget consultations with a wide range of stakeholders, including economists, farmers, trade unions, bankers, industry representatives, state governments and officials from various ministries.After reviewing these suggestions, the finance ministry allocates funds to departments, with final decisions taken by the finance minister in consultation with the Prime Minister.Along with the Budget speech, several documents are presented in Parliament, including the Annual Financial Statement, Demand for Grants and the Finance Bill. Supporting documents such as the Expenditure Budget, Receipt Budget, Budget at a Glance and outcome monitoring frameworks are also tabled for reference.Apart from revenue and expenditure estimates, the Budget outlines growth projections and sector-wise allocations. It details spending plans for infrastructure such as railways, highways, airports and logistics, along with allocations for agriculture, MSMEs, housing, banking, telecom and skill development.The Budget also signals the government’s priorities for employment generation, economic growth and social welfare in the coming fiscal year.
Where to watch the Budget?
The Budget speech will begin at 11 am on February 1 in the Lok Sabha. It will be broadcast live on Sansad TV and DD News and streamed on Sansad TV’s official YouTube channel.Additionally, TOI will provide live blog coverage with key announcements, political reactions, industry responses and expert analysis as the speech unfolds.
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