'Destination of Reform Express driven by PM's vision of Viksit Bharat': Kiren Rijiju on Union Budget

New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday described the upcoming Union Budget 2026-27 as “a destination of the Reform Express driven by the Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat”.

Speaking to IANS, Rijiju said, “The Reform Express is moving forward very smoothly, and today we will see a glimpse of it. This budget is for the whole country; people will see and listen, it is for everyone’s betterment.”

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan echoed the sentiment, saying, “This is the budget for a Viksit Bharat and an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's presentation of the Union Budget for 2026-27 in Parliament on Sunday marks a historic occasion as it is being delivered on a Sunday for the first time in Independent India’s history.

This will be her ninth consecutive Budget presentation, making her the first woman finance minister to achieve this milestone, and the 15th Budget of the Narendra Modi-led government. It is also the second full Budget since the NDA returned to power for a third consecutive term in 2024.

So far, sweeping income tax and GST cuts, higher infrastructure spending, and interest rate reductions by the Reserve Bank of India have helped cushion the economy against external shocks. However, these measures have also dented government revenues, narrowing fiscal space to support new growth initiatives.

Economists expect this year’s Budget to focus on defence, infrastructure, capital expenditure, power, and affordable housing, while carefully balancing social welfare priorities with fiscal prudence. The emphasis, they say, will be on sustaining growth momentum without compromising fiscal consolidation.

Sitharaman continued the government’s blend of tradition and technology by carrying the Budget documents on a digital tablet inside a red ‘bahi-khata’ style pouch, highlighting the paperless format introduced under the Modi government.

She first replaced the traditional leather briefcase in 2019 with a bahi-khata and switched to a digital tablet in 2021, promoting a modern and eco-friendly approach.