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The Union Budget 2026-27 is acceptable to beryllium presented connected Sunday (February 1, 2026) by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This volition beryllium the minister’s ninth Budget speech and is being keenly watched by citizens and experts to gauge the economical wellness of the state and its future.
But the yearly fiscal connection has had a colourful past, from briefcases to ‘bahi khatas’ to ‘blue sheets,’ present are immoderate absorbing things to cognize astir it.
Also Read | Key presumption that volition assistance you recognize Budget 2026
Change from London to Indian timing
The Budget was historically presented astatine 5 p.m. connected the past time of February, to align with the moving hours of the British officials successful London. This was changed successful 1999 by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who announced the Budget astatine 11 a.m to marque it easier for Indian officials to enactment connected it, connected the aforesaid concern day. The caller contented has continued ever since.
The contented of announcing the Budget connected the past time of February was besides changed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley successful 2017, who delivered it connected February 1, to springiness clip to officials to o.k. the Budget earlier the commencement of the caller fiscal twelvemonth connected April 1.
Briefcase to ‘Bahi Khata’
For implicit 70 years, a reddish briefcase was utilized to transportation the Budget documents successful a motion to the British contented of doing the same.
But successful 2019, Ms. Sitharaman broke contented by carrying the Budget successful a ‘bahi-khata’, a accepted ledger utilized by accountants crossed the country. In 2021, owed to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Budget went paperless. But the contented of carrying the integer tablet successful a ‘bahi-khata’ similar reddish lawsuit continued, frankincense blending modernity and tradition.
Longest to shortest speeches
The grounds for the longest Budget code (by duration) goes to Ms. Sitharaman, who spoke for 2 hours and 42 minutes successful 2020, before having to halt owed to exhaustion.
The grounds for the longest speech(by words) goes to erstwhile Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, whose 1991 code had 18,650 words.
The quickest 1 was by Morarji Desai successful 1977, with conscionable 800 words.
‘Halwa’ ceremony
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman distributes halwa during the Halwa ceremonial arsenic the last signifier of Budget preparations for the 'Lock in' process commences, astatine North Block successful New Delhi connected January 27, 2026. | Photo Credit: ANI
The ‘halwa’ oregon a accepted northbound Indian dessert is made successful the Budget Press, located successful the North Block successful New Delhi, conscionable earlier the Budget is scheduled to beryllium presented.
The Finance Minister traditionally stirs the saccharine crockery and past serves it to the officials, arsenic a motion of appreciation for their hard work. But besides triggering a ‘lock in’ play successful which the Budget is implicit and seldom edited and each officials progressive successful the process are wholly chopped disconnected from the extracurricular world, until the Minister delivers the Budget successful the parliament.
The ‘Blue Sheet’
The elusive ‘blue sheet’ is the maestro expanse to the Budget and is 1 of the heavy guarded secrets of the North Block. The ‘sheet’ traditionally coded successful bluish is simply a distilled blueprint of each the calculations successful the Budget and helps the scholar recognize the lengthy fiscal papers successful 1 glance.
It is truthful concealed that not adjacent the Finance Minister is allowed to instrumentality the ‘blue sheet’ extracurricular North Block and the finalising of the bluish expanse triggers the ‘lock in’ play successful which nary extracurricular interaction of the officials is allowed.
The Budget 2026-27 volition beryllium announced connected February 1 successful the Parliament, sparking days of aggravated calculations and predictions astir the coming fiscal year.
