Evolution Of India's Budget Case
By: NDTVNewsDesk
Image: File
For decades, finance ministers were photographed carrying a briefcase into Parliament. Nirmala Sitharaman switched to the Budget tablet.
Image: File
Let's take a look at the history behind the Union Budget presentation exercise.
Image: File
RK Shanmukham Chetty, the first Finance Minister of independent India, continued with the British-era tradition by carrying the Budget documents in a leather portfolio bag.
Image: File
This tradition continued for the next few years as finance ministers used different briefcases for the Budget ceremony.
Image: File
The old 'budget briefcase' was replaced with the 'bahi khata' soon after the Narendra Modi-led government secured a second consecutive term in 2019.
Image: File
For her first Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman carried a red-coloured 'bahi khata' in 2019, instead of the briefcase.
Image: File
In 2021, the traditional 'bahi khata' was replaced with a device. Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget in a paperless format, using a 'Made in India' tablet.
Image: File
Nirmala Sitharaman carried the tablet in a red 'bahi khata'-style sleeve in 2021 and continued this practice in the subsequent years.
Image: File
ndtv.com