New Delhi, 09 January (H.S.): The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs finalized Friday a tentative schedule placing Parliament's Budget Session commencement on January 28, culminating in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabling the Union Budget 2026-27 on February 1—a rare Sunday presentation—following President Droupadi Murmu's traditional joint address to both Houses on opening day.

This year's calendar—cleared under Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's chairmanship—spans two phases: January 28 to February 13 for Budget discourse, resuming March 9 through April 2 for post-Budget debates, with the Economic Survey slated for January 29 to furnish macroeconomic insights ahead of Sitharaman's ninth consecutive fiscal blueprint.

Historic Weekend Budget Echoes Precedent Amid Growth Projections

Sitharaman's February 1 address at 11 a.m.—echoing weekend precedents like her 2025 Saturday unveiling and Arun Jaitley's 2015-16 Budgets—aligns with post-2017 norms advancing from February 28 for swifter FY27 implementation, amid projections of 7.4% real GDP expansion. The 88th post-Independence Budget anticipates scrutiny on tax reforms, capital expenditure, and sectoral allocations as Parliament transitions from Winter Session skirmishes to fiscal priorities.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar