Wanted to keep Budget Speech shorter but ended up breaking own record: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who gave the longest-ever Budget Speech, on Tuesday made fun of it saying she wanted to keep it shorter but ended up breaking her own record.

Sitharaman had on February 1 given a curtailed 161-minute speech presenting the Budget 2020-21. This bettered the record of the previous longest Budget Speech made by her in July last year.

In July presenting her maiden Budget, Sitharaman had spoken for 2 hours 17 minutes.

Speaking at an industry event, Sitharaman said, "...not just my speech which was very long and that's the grouse that I am holding up against the ministry.

"I keep telling that in each one of them, and as a matter of fact, I have been persistently nagging them to say last year's was long, I want this year to be shorter. But, somebody conspired to say that Haha...No, you will do it longer."

The preparation for this Budget was also the longest as it started after the presentation of the last Budget in July.

There were various rounds of consultation with various stakeholders, she added.