sitharaman-receives-dahi-cheeni-from-president-murmu-ahead-of-budget

 

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary was also present during the occassion.

The Finance Minister was seen discussing the contours of the Budget proposals with the President.

 

Subsequently, the Finance Minister arrived at Parliament, where she will proceed to the Cabinet meeting to ratify the Budget before its formal presentation.

Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her record eighth consecutive Budget at 11 am in the Lok Sabha.

 

The Budget speech will outline the government's fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure proposals, taxation reforms, and other significant announcements.

 

Meanwhile, the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Friday projected India's economy to grow between 6.3 per cent and 6.8 per cent in the next financial year 2025-26.

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The survey highlights the country's strong economic fundamentals, supported by a stable external account, fiscal consolidation, and private consumption. 

 

It noted that the government plans to strengthen long-term industrial growth by focusing on research and development (R&D), micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and capital goods. These measures aim to enhance productivity, innovation, and global competitiveness.

 

"The fundamentals of the domestic economy remain robust, with a strong external account, calibrated fiscal consolidation, and stable private consumption. On balance of these considerations, we expect that the growth in FY26 would be between 6.3 and 6.8 per cent," the survey stated.

 

The survey also noted that food inflation is expected to ease in the fourth quarter of FY25 due to the seasonal decline in vegetable prices and the arrival of the Kharif harvest.

 

A good Rabi production is also expected to help keep food prices in check in the first half of FY26. However, adverse weather conditions and rising international agricultural prices pose risks to inflation.