Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her eighth consecutive Union Budget on Saturday, February 1, 2025. This will mark the second full financial budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government during its third successive term. Continuing the trend since 2021, the Union Budget 2025-26 will be delivered in a completely paperless format.
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What is the Union Budget 2025?
The Union Budget is the annual financial statement that outlines the proposed revenues and expenditures of the federal government for the upcoming fiscal year, spanning April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.
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Since 2019, the Union Budget—referred to as the bahi-khaata—has served as a comprehensive document, detailing the government’s fiscal policies, spending plans, and economic strategies.
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Date, time, and venue:
Finance Minister Sitharaman will present the Union Budget in Parliament on February 1, 2025. The budget speech is scheduled to begin at 11:00 am in the Lok Sabha.
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Where to watch the Union Budget 2025 Live:
The Union Budget 2025 will be broadcast live on the official channels of Parliament, Doordarshan, and Sansad TV. It will be streamed on the government's official YouTube channels. Additionally, Asianet News, Suvarna News and Asianet Newsable will also run live streams on their website and YouTube channels.
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Live updates and digital access to Budget documents:
Budget 2025 updates will be available on the Union government’s official web portal, www.indiabudget.gov.in.
For a seamless and paperless experience, all budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as the Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), and Finance Bill, will be accessible via the Union Budget Mobile App. These documents will be available in both Hindi and English for convenience.
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Budget-making process for 2025 began in October 2024:
The Finance Ministry commenced the budget preparation process in October 2024, holding consultations with various ministries to finalize financial estimates and requirements for the upcoming fiscal year.
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Key changes in the Modi government's budget approach:
Since 2014, the Modi government has introduced several reforms in the Union Budget presentation process. Notable changes include:
Merging the Rail Budget with the Union Budget in 2017.
Advancing the budget presentation date to February 1 from the traditional end-of-month schedule.
Transitioning to a fully digital format in 2021.