Budget 2024: FM Sitharaman, her team spotted with 'Bahi Khata'. WATCH

Budget 2024: Sitharaman in her inaugural Budget presentation in 2019, had introduced the 'Bahi Khata' to carry the Budget documents, replacing the traditional leather briefcase

Ahead of the Union Budget 2024-25 presentation in Parliament on Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was spotted with the ‘Bahi Khata’ outside the finance ministry office at North Block in New Delhi.

Donning a white-pink saree, Sitharaman held the 'bahi-khata' wrapped in red cloth. The finance minister introduced the ‘Bahi Khata’ to carry the Budget documents in her inaugural budget presentation in 2019, replacing the traditional leather briefcase.

The ‘Bahi Khata’ contains the tablet carrying India’s digital Budget, as the Budget presentation has transitioned to a paperless format over the past three years.

Sitharaman will present the Budget at 11 am in Parliament.

Where to watch the Budget 2024?

Business Standard will offer extensive and real-time Union Budget 2024 coverage throughout the day.

Tune to our website homepage for all the latest updates, comprehensive analysis, and industry and political reactions related to Budget 2024.

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Alternatively, one can check out Sansad TV's YouTube channel to watch Sitharaman’s speech as it unfolds.

The official social media handles of the finance minister will also broadcast the live Budget coverage.

What to expect from the Union Budget 2024?

Speculation is rife about the Centre’s possible move to revise the direct taxation structure, provide relief on Goods and Services Tax, push for infrastructure spending, and allocate funds to key central schemes, among other things.

A day before, Sitharaman unveiled the Economic Survey 2023-24, detailing India’s financial performance in the last year. The survey suggests that in the ongoing financial year, India’s growth rate will hover around 6.5-7 percent.

One of the key focuses of the Budget will be the finance ministry’s projection on India’s fiscal deficit, understood as the difference between government expenditure and income.

In the interim Budget in February, Sitharaman had projected the fiscal deficit at 5.1 per cent for the current financial year (FY25). However, the full Budget is expected to provide better-than-earlier projections due to tax buoyancy.

Additionally, there will be a focus on revisions in nominal GDP growth numbers (real GDP plus inflation), capital expenditure, dividend amount, etc. Notably, in the interim Budget, the Centre had projected Rs 1.02 trillion dividend from India’s financial institutions. However, in May, the Reserve Bank of India alone made a surplus transfer of Rs 2.11 trillion to the Centre.

(With PTI inputs)