New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on Saturday, continuing her paperless Budget tradition with a digital tablet housed in a red pouch adorned with the golden national emblem.
This marks the continuation of a practice she began in 2021, when she opted for a tablet to present the Budget in place of physical documents.
Sitharaman, India’s first full-time woman Finance Minister, deviated from the colonial tradition of carrying a leather briefcase in 2019. Instead, she introduced the ‘bahi-khata’ style pouch, which symbolizes a break from the past and reflects a shift towards modernization.
This year, dressed in an off-white handloom silk saree with intricate fish-themed embroidery and a golden border, Sitharaman posed for the customary photo outside her office at North Block, accompanied by her team.
Following her meeting with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan, Sitharaman will head to Parliament to deliver her speech, marking the 14th consecutive Budget under the Modi government since 2014.
The Finance Minister first assumed the role in 2019, following the tenure of Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal, who adhered to the tradition of using briefcases.
The practice of carrying a briefcase for the Budget presentation originated in Britain in the 18th century, and various Indian finance ministers have followed suit.
However, Sitharaman’s decision to move away from this legacy was a deliberate move to modernize and embrace a paperless process, reflecting the broader push for digital governance in India.
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