In 2019, Finance Minister Sitharaman ushered in a departure from the enduring Budget briefcase, opting as a substitute for a bahi khata or material ledger. (File picture)
Budget 2024: Like the earlier three full union budgets, the interim union finances 2024 may even be delivered in paperless kind.
Over the years, Indian finance ministers had been captured in images as they entered parliament carrying a briefcase for the yearly Budget presentation. However, this custom underwent a big transformation in 2019, when Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman opted for a ‘Bahi Khata,’ bidding farewell to the traditional Budget briefcase.
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What Is ‘Bahi Khata’?
In 2019, Finance Minister Sitharaman ushered in a departure from the enduring finances briefcase, opting as a substitute for a “Bahi Khata” or material ledger. This choice aimed to interrupt away from the colonial custom the place British finance ministers used to hold a “Gladstone Box” to Parliament, a apply subsequently changed by baggage and briefcases. India embraced an analogous transition.
In the lead-as much as the 2019 finances presentation, Nirmala Sitharaman was noticed with a purple Bahi Khata, a standard ledger of accounts, as a substitute of the customary briefcase. This departure was interpreted as a symbolic renunciation of the colonial legacy, because the briefcase itself was a vestige of British rule in India, modelled after the ‘Gladstone box’ utilised in British finances displays.
- Break away from a colonial apply: The briefcase was seen as a remnant of British rule in India. Using the Bahi Khata, a standard Indian accounting software, was seen as a solution to embrace the nation’s heritage and symbolism.
- Connect with the frequent folks: The Bahi Khata is a well-known image for a lot of Indians, notably these in rural areas and small companies. Using it was seen as a solution to make the finances presentation extra relatable and accessible to the common citizen.
- Signal a give attention to monetary inclusion: The Bahi Khata is usually utilized by small companies and entrepreneurs to trace their funds. Using it was seen as a solution to sign the federal government’s dedication to supporting these sectors.
The inaugural union finances of unbiased India noticed its first finance minister, RK Shankmukham Chetty, adhering to the British custom by transporting paperwork in a leather-based portfolio bag. Subsequently, within the following years, varied finance ministers opted for distinct briefcases to current the finances.
In distinction, Sitharaman’s option to utilise the Bahi Khata added an indigenous aptitude to the budgetary course of.
“I thought it was better we move out from the British handhold. And I thought it was good enough to do something on our own. It was easier for me to carry also and very Indian,” Sitharaman stated of her choice to make use of the purple silk Bahi Khata.
The customary vessel for finances paperwork made its second and remaining look in 2020. However, the following yr witnessed a departure from this conventional ebook of accounts in favour of a extra modern machine. In 2021, Nirmala Sitharaman offered the finances in a paperless format, using a domestically manufactured pill.
In 2021, 2022, and as soon as extra in 2023, she introduced the pill to parliament enclosed in a purple pouch harking back to the Bahi Khata model. The option to undertake a pill was perceived as a stride in assist of the federal government’s Digital India initiative.
Interim Budget 2024
Like the earlier three full union budgets, the interim union finances 2024 may even be delivered in paperless kind. The interim union finances 2024 is to be offered on February 01, 2024.
Union Budget Mobile App For Budget Documents
All the union finances paperwork, together with the Annual Financial Statement (generally often called Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), Finance Bill, and so on., can be obtainable on the “Union Budget Mobile App” for trouble-free entry to finances paperwork by Members of Parliament and most of the people utilizing the only type of digital comfort.
It is bilingual (English & Hindi) and can be obtainable on each Android and iOS platforms.
The app can be downloaded from the union finances net portal (www.indiabudget.gov.in).
The finances paperwork can be obtainable on the cell app after the completion of the finances speech by the union finance minister in Parliament.
