Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presided over the fourth pre-budget consultation on Thursday, bringing together experts and stakeholders from the export, trade, and industry sectors to prepare for the Union Budget 2025-26.
"Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt @nsitharaman chairs the fourth pre-budget consultation with stakeholders and experts from export, trade, and industry sectors in connection with the upcoming Union Budget 2025-26, in New Delhi, today," according to the Finance Ministry's social media post on Facebook.
The conference was attended by Pankaj Chaudhary, Minister of State for Finance, Finance Secretary, Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Secretary of DIPAM (Department of Investment and Public Asset Management), and the Government of India's Chief Economic Adviser. Earlier this week, on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with a panel of prominent economists and thought leaders at NITI Aayog on the Union Budget 2025-26.
Pre-budget consultation in Jaisalmer
Sitharaman attended a pre-budget conference with finance ministers from various states and union territories in Jaisalmer on December 20. The meeting was attended by chief ministers from Goa, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, and Odisha, as well as deputy chief ministers from Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Telangana. The economic affairs and expenditure secretaries were among the key finance ministry officials present.
Other Pre-budget Consultations
Sitharaman attended a series of consultations with diverse organizations, including MSMEs, farmer associations, and economists. Such consultations are an important part of the Finance Ministry's annual budget-making process, which ensures that policy is inclusive and effective.
The Union Budget for 2025-26, to be released on February 1, 2025, would be Sitharaman's eighth Budget as India's Finance Minister. This year will provide vital insight as well as forward-looking initiatives for India's economic trajectory after the remaining terms of the Modi 3.0 government.
