(LiveMint)
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union budget for fiscal year 2020-21 on 1 February with possible big-ticket announcements based on requirements voiced by industry as she looks to pull India out of its economic slowdown.
Sitharaman told reporters here that budget consultation with the industry will start on Monday. Former finance minister Arun Jaitley had presented the Union budget on a Saturday in 2015, when the convention was to have the budget tabled on the last day of February. The date was advanced to 1 February in 2017-18. Two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the budget presentation in Parliament will take place on 1 February.
Sitharaman said she has been engaging with industry and analysing the state of the economy ahead of announcing steps to boost growth. Further big-ticket announcements could be expected in the February budget based on demands made by different industries during a series of consultations.
