Budget 2026: Discussions about this year's budget are intensifying across the country. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the budget for the first time on a Sunday and for the ninth consecutive time in Parliament. The common man expects income tax relief, job creation, strengthening of MSMEs, banking sector reforms, investment in infrastructure, green energy, and AI from this budget. Will this budget be as benevolent as the Sun God, or will it disappoint expectations?

Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will create history by presenting the budget for the ninth consecutive time in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament, on February 1st. However, the special thing is that February 1st, 2026, the day she will present the budget in Parliament, falls on a Sunday. This will also be a historical event, as it will be the first time that the Union Budget is presented in Parliament on a Sunday. Now, since the budget will be presented on a Sunday, questions are also arising among the people whether this year's Union Budget will be as benevolent as the Sun God or will it dash the hopes of the common man. The reason given for this is that last year, in 2025, February 1st fell on a Saturday, and the government opened its entire treasury for the common man.

Sitharaman will come close to Morarji Desai's record

By presenting the budget for the ninth consecutive time in Parliament on February 1st, Nirmala Sitharaman will come close to the record of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai. Morarji Desai holds the record for presenting the budget 10 times consecutively. He presented a total of 6 budgets during his tenure as Finance Minister from 1959 to 1964 and 4 budgets between 1967 and 1969. Former Finance Ministers P. Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee presented the budget nine and eight times respectively under different Prime Ministers. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi achieved a resounding victory for the second time in 2019, she was appointed as India's first female Finance Minister. When Modi came to power for the third time in 2024, Nirmala Sitharaman retained her position as Finance Minister.

Budget Date Changed in 2017

The government changed the budget date to February 1st in 2017 so that it could complete the parliamentary approval process by the end of March and implement the budget from the start of the new financial year on April 1st. Presenting the budget on February 28th meant that it could not be implemented before May-June, as the parliamentary approval process would take 2-3 months.

What are the expectations of the common man from the government?

• Last year, the government provided a tax exemption for income up to Rs 12 lakh. This time too, it is expected that the government will increase this limit.
• Young people looking for jobs expect the government to focus on job creation in this budget so that they can easily get government jobs.
• Since this year's budget will be in line with the goal of a developed India by 2047, economists are emphasizing the need for schemes for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• The banking sector is considered the backbone of the economy, so there is a need for reforms in this sector as well. The expansion of the banking system can play a crucial role in strengthening employment, entrepreneurship, and the rural economy.
• Increased capital expenditure is expected in infrastructure, green energy, artificial intelligence, and railways.
• The budget may see increased allocations for employment-related schemes, apprenticeship programs, and women-centric programs.
• Focusing on creating quality jobs through emerging sectors like education, AI, and green energy will be crucial.
• Focusing on creating quality jobs through emerging sectors like education, AI, and green energy will be crucial.
• Salaried individuals, senior citizens, and common taxpayers want the budget to increase the TDS limit on rent and fixed deposit interest income and provide tax relief. This can reduce the tax burden on common people. Experts expect the budget to bring clarity on policy matters, particularly regarding reforms to TDS rules and the smooth implementation of the new Income Tax Act.
• There is a demand for increased spending on infrastructure to boost both economic growth and employment. According to experts, the budget may see an increase of approximately 10% in capital expenditure.
• Incentive schemes are expected to be introduced for MSMEs and export-oriented sectors. These sectors are likely to receive benefits such as simplified regulations, reduced costs, tax relief, and exemptions from export duties, which will boost employment and production.
• Customs duties on gold and other imported goods are likely to be reduced, which could help control prices at the consumer level and encourage trade.
• The rural economy, agriculture-related programs, and support schemes for small businesses are expected to receive prominence in the budget to prioritize both rural demand and financial inclusion.

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