Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday broke her own record by delivering her shortest-ever budget speech, lasting a concise 56 minutes at this year’s interim budget.
The six-time consecutive budget presenter, known for her marathon speeches, presented a departure from her previous durations, including the longest at 2 hours and 40 minutes in 2020.
In 2019, as India's first full-time woman finance minister, Sitharaman's budget speech had lasted for two hours and 17 minutes. In 2021, her speech lasted for one hour and 50 minutes, followed by 92 minutes in 2022 and 87 minutes in 2023.
Amidst cheers from the treasury benches, Sitharaman's speech received regular applause, particularly her mention of the government's return to power after the Lok Sabha elections. The opposition members, though attentive, expressed disapproval at certain points, notably during references to the government's electoral success.
In a departure from previous occasions, Sitharaman's budget speech omitted references to Tamil poets and thinkers. However, she prominently invoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to him at least eight times and quoting from his speeches.
The attendance in the public galleries was notably thin, with only a few Rajya Sabha members occupying seats in Gallery 2. The first row of Gallery 3 was occupied by relatives of Finance Minister Sitharaman – Krishnamurthy Lakshminarayan and Vidya Lakshminarayan – along with her daughter Vangmayi Parakala.
Dressed in a turquoise-coloured embroidered Kantha silk saree, Sitharaman, along with Ministers of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and Bhagwat Karad, and senior officers from the Finance Ministry, paid a visit to President Droupadi Murmu before presenting the Budget.
The traditional 'bahi-khata' with the national emblem, which Sitharaman adopted in 2019, was used to carry the speech and documents on a tablet computer.
In a symbolic gesture, President Murmu extended her best wishes by offering Sitharaman a spoonful of curd and sugar before the presentation of the Union Budget.
Sitharaman introduced new expansions for FDI – "First, Develop India" and for GDP – "Governance, Development, and Performance."
Emphasising a comprehensive approach beyond GDP growth, she stated, "Besides delivering on high growth in terms of Gross Domestic Product, the government is equally focused on a more comprehensive 'GDP', i.e., 'Governance, Development, and Performance.'"
The budget speech saw the participation of JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan 'Lalan' Singh, who applauded on various occasions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally congratulated Sitharaman at the conclusion of her speech, and several ministers were seen extending their congratulations.
Sitharaman's brief yet impactful budget speech marked a departure from tradition, showcasing a concise and focused presentation that addressed key aspects of governance, development, and performance.
The symbolism of omitting references to Tamil poets and thinkers, along with the use of the 'bahi-khata' for the speech, further underscored the Finance Minister's commitment to a modern and inclusive budgetary approach.
The parliamentary reactions, both cheers and disapprovals, reflected the dynamic political landscape as the interim budget sets the stage for broader economic discussions and political discourse.
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