New Delhi [India], February 1 : Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday arrived at the parliament to attend the Budget session and asserted that she has "not much expectations" from the Union Budget 2026-27.
Speaking to ANI on Budget expectations, Priyanka Gandhi said, "I don't have much expectations, but let's see."
Further, Congress MP Manish Tewari said that there are structural problems in the Indian economy which have not been addressed in a decade.
Tewari told ANI, "There are structural problems in the Indian economy which have not been addressed in a decade. Private capital investment has not kicked in. Foreign direct investment has declined. I hope the finance minister will recognise the structural inequities in the Indian economy and would be honest enough to address it."
Reacting to the same, IUML MP E.T. Mohammed Basheer said that they all know the ill-fate of MGNREGA.
While speaking to ANI, IUML MP E.T. Mohammed Basheer said, "This is a critical juncture. There are many issues to be addressed, especially in the contemporary Indian situation. There are many things to be addressed very seriously. We hope that the main thing is rural development. We all know the ill-fate of MGNREGA...They have changed its entire structure. It was the most revolutionary step taken by our Govt of Manmohan Singh at that time. They have spoiled it. I hope that the Govt will take steps, if you are not addressing the villages, the entire thing will collapse. So, in that way also, I hope the Govt will do justice. Not only that, there are a lot of crises in the financial sector. We hope that that too will be solved. With regard to Kerala, we want justice in that. We hope that they will use AIIMS and such national institutions for Kerala too."
The Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Union Budget 2026-27 following a meeting in Parliament.
Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu offered 'dahi-cheeni' (curd and sugar) to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman when she arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The 'dahi-cheeni' ritual is carried out by the President as it is considered an auspicious commencement of the day. This customary good-luck gesture was made during the Finance Minister's meeting with President Murmu at Rashtrapti Bhavan.
Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary was also present on the occasion. The Finance Minister was seen discussing the contours of the Budget proposals with the President.
Ahead of her arrival at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Sitharaman was seen carrying her trademark 'bahi-khata', a tablet wrapped in a red-coloured cloth bearing a golden-coloured national emblem on it.
MoS Pankaj Chaudhary, Chief Economic Advisor Dr V Anantha Nageswaran, Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal and other officials of the Finance Ministry were seen accompanying the Finance Minister.
Sitharaman is set to present her ninth consecutive Union Budget today at 11 am in the Lok Sabha, which will see her equal former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's record and surpass that of Pranab Mukherjee.
Former Prime Minister Morarji Desai continues to hold the record for presenting 10 term the most Union Budgets in independent India.
Sitharaman will present a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India for the year 2026-27.
The Finance Minister will also lay on the table two statements under Section 3(1) of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003.
These include the Medium-term Fiscal Policy-cum-Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement and the Macro-economic Framework Statement.
The List of Business further states that Sitharaman will move for leave to introduce the Finance Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. She will also formally introduce the Bill.
The Finance Bill gives legal effect to the financial proposals of the government.FM Sitharaman is set to present India's ninth consecutive Union Budget.
On Thursday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey of India in Parliament for the financial year 2025-26.
The tabling of the Economic Survey ahead of the Budget follows the long-standing tradition of outlining the state of the economy before detailing future fiscal plans.
The Economic Survey of India is regarded as the nation's official annual "report card" on the economy. It provides a comprehensive, data-backed review of the economy's performance over the previous year and offers a broad roadmap for future policy direction. As the government's flagship annual report, it reviews key economic developments over the past 12 months.
The survey plays a crucial role in the lead-up to the Union Budget. While the Budget focuses on future government spending, taxation, and policy measures, the Economic Survey explains why those decisions are necessary by analysing past economic performance and trends.
The Economic Survey is prepared by the Economic Division of the Department of Economic Affairs under the leadership of the Chief Economic Adviser (CEA). It is presented in two parts, each focusing on different aspects of the economy.
The Budget session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments.