No big announcements in next Budget: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

New Delhi, December 7

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday indicated that the forthcoming Budget, to be presented on February 1 next year, would be a vote on account and bereft of any “spectacular announcements”.

Addressing the industry body CII’s event here, Sitharaman said though the Budget would be presented on February 1, 2024, it would be only a vote on account as the Lok Sabha elections would be round the corner.

“It will be only for meeting the expenditure of the government till the time a new regime takes over. No spectacular announcements come during that time. So, you will have to wait till a new government comes in and presents the next full Budget in July 2024,” Sitharaman said at the event.

Meanwhile, replying in Rajya Sabha to the discussion on the state of economy, which was initiated by Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien, Sitharaman said India’s second quarter growth was the highest in the world as the country was the fastest growing economy.

Attacking the central schemes initiated by the erstwhile UPA regime, Sitharaman said during UPA times, schemes were only in name (‘naam ke vaaste’) whereas the schemes launched by

the NDA government had ensured growth and benefitted the people. She listed schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat and Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana, to name a few, while citing their success rate.