Nirmala Sitharaman’s ‘dahi-cheeni’ moment with President ahead of Budget

President Droupadi Murmu offered ‘dahi-chini’ (curd-sugar), considered auspicious, to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as she arrived at the Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting her record seventh consecutive Budget.

As per tradition, Sitharaman and MoS (Finance) Pankaj Choudhary called on the President before presenting the full Budget for 2024-25.

Earlier in the day, the Finance Minister posed with a tablet wrapped in a ‘bahi khata’-styled pouch carrying the Budget documents outside the Finance Ministry.

Sitharaman, who will present the first Budget of the third term of the Narendra Modi government, chose an off-white colour saree with a magenta border for the occassion.

The Budget is expected to focus on income tax relief, infrastructure development, job creation, and boosting farmers’ income in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Viksit Bharat 2047 Vision.

While some populist measures may be included, experts believe the government will prioritise fiscal discipline.

As per the Economic Survey tabled in Parliament on Monday, the economy is projected to expand by 6.5-7 per cent in the current fiscal.