Budget 2024: President Murmu gives traditional 'dahi-shakkar' blessings to FM Sitharaman

Budget 2024: Just moments before the presentation of Budget 2024, President Droupadi Murmu shared a symbolic gesture of goodwill by offering 'dahi-shakkar' (curd and sugar) to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The ceremony took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan, with Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministers of State Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad and Shri Pankaj Chaudhary, and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance in attendance.

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President Murmu conveyed her best wishes to the Finance Minister before the crucial budget presentation.


Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her sixth consecutive Budget, aligning with the record of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai.

This Budget, presented just before the lok sabha elections, is technically a vote on account, often referred to as an interim Budget.

Also Read: India's cabinet approves Interim Budget 2024

The full Budget is expected to be presented by the new government elected after the April/May general elections, likely in July.

As the last Budget before the general elections, the Modi government's Budget is expected to include a combination of economic measures and initiatives targeting crucial voter segments such as farmers and women. Beyond financial considerations, the Budget is expected to contain political elements, highlighting the government's achievements over the past decade and outlining its vision for the future.

Despite recent electoral successes in three states, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, Sitharaman is likely to maintain fiscal prudence while introducing incentives for sectors like agriculture and the broader economy to stimulate job creation and enhance consumption. While the interim Budget typically avoids major policy announcements, it serves as a spectacle, setting the stage just weeks before the Model Code of Conduct takes effect for the general elections.