Tradition Meets Technology: Nirmala Sitharaman's Paperless Budget

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman continues her tradition of presenting the Budget in a paperless format, opting for a digital tablet wrapped in a traditional 'bahi-khata' style pouch. This marks her record seventh straight Budget presentation for the Modi government, maintaining a unique blend of tradition and modernity.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday took a digital tablet wrapped in a traditional 'bahi-khata' style pouch to Parliament to present the full Budget 2024-25 in a paperless format. Draped in a white silk saree with a magenta border, she posed for the traditional 'briefcase' picture outside her office, along with her team of officials, before heading to meet President Droupadi Murmu.

Presenting her record seventh straight Budget, Sitharaman has continued the blend of heritage and modernization she started in July 2019 when she ditched the colonial legacy of a Budget briefcase for the 'bahi-khata'. Throughout the pandemic, she transitioned to using a digital tablet, breaking yet another tradition.

Historically, the Budget presentation in India has undergone significant changes. Prior to Sitharaman, finance ministers including Arun Jaitley and Piyush Goyal used the conventional Budget briefcase. The tradition itself stems from the British legacy, originating from the French word 'bougette'. On Tuesday, Sitharaman carried forward her blend of tradition and tech into Parliament, meeting the President before her Budget presentation.

(With inputs from agencies.)