The Halwa ceremony, marking the final stage of the preparation process for Interim Union Budget 2024, was held in North Block on Wednesday in the presence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State for Finance Dr. Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad.
Nirmala Sitharaman will table the interim budget on February 1, 2024, as the Lok Sabha polls are due to be held later this year. Ahead of the Budget presentation, Sitharaman - whos known for her unique choices of sarees - arrived at the Finance Ministry, in a blue silk saree in kantha stich.
Now that the economy is growing at a higher-than-expected rate, it is time to accelerate the pace of fiscal consolidation, and the Budget could be a good starting point, argues Rajesh Kumar.