Union Budget 2026 Live Updates: FM Nirmala Sitharaman presents budget in Lok Sabha
The central government is set to present budget in Parliament on Sunday, February 1, with high expectations from citizens, businesses and policy experts. With the economy navigating global uncertainties and domestic growth priorities, stakeholders are keenly watching for announcements on tax relief, policy clarity and measures aimed at boosting consumption, investment and employment.
The Budget is expected to outline the government’s fiscal roadmap for the coming year, balancing welfare commitments with capital expenditure and long-term reforms. From middle-class taxpayers hoping for relief to industry leaders seeking incentives and economists assessing macroeconomic signals, the annual exercise remains a key moment for economic direction-setting.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Budget at 11 am, marking her ninth consecutive Budget speech — a record first for any Indian finance minister. The milestone underscores continuity in fiscal leadership as the government lays out its vision for the year ahead.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said that the government would set up a high-powered 'Education to Employment and Enterprise' Standing Committee to recommend measures that focus on the services sector as a core driver of Viksit Bharat as part of the proposals in the Budget for 2026-27.
Farmer union leaders have expressed a mixed reaction to the Budget 2026 proposals on agriculture after being presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan earlier welcomed the Budget provisions for the welfare of poor and young farmers, and “lakhpati didis”.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi greeted Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the presentation of the Union Budget for the 2026–27 financial year, which he described as visionary and welfare-oriented, focusing on the empowerment of youth, farmers, entrepreneurs, the middle class, and workers.
Senior Congress leader and former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram issued a scathing critique of the Union Budget 2026-27 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, declaring that it "failed the test of economic strategy and economic statesmanship".
In a detailed statement, Chidambaram expressed astonishment at the budget speech, arguing that it disregarded the major challenges highlighted in the Economic Survey 2025-26 and relied instead on a barrage of acronyms and new schemes without substantive addressing of pressing issues.
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Sunday, hailed the Union budget for 2026-27, saying it has a lot for the state.
Using his official X account, LoP Adhikari said, "Today's Union Budget has kindled a ray of hope in the hearts of the people of West Bengal. A massive investment plan has been outlined for infrastructural development to usher in a wave of industrialisation."
The Union Budget 2026 has made every necessary provision for maintaining the health of India, said Minister of State Anupriya Patel on Sunday.
Speaking to IANS, Patel noted that the Budget, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, laid special focus on health, pharma, and chemicals.
Union Minister Kishan Reddy stated that the Union Budget has been designed to steadily advance India’s economy. Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he highlighted several key measures aimed at supporting farmers and promoting regional development.
The minister said the central government has increased the fertiliser subsidy, which will also benefit farmers in Telangana. He added that the overall central budget for this year is higher than last year and noted the introduction of a scheme to support the Kakatiya Textile Park.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday hailed the Union Budget 2026-27 as Viksit Bharat Budget and said that it will boost education and employment creation.
The Budget was presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Parliament.
Chennai : The Union Budget 2026–27 is designed to build long-term economic capacity rather than fuel short-term consumption, said Chocko Valliappa, Founder and Managing Director of Vee Technologies and Vice Chairman of Sona Group of Education Institutions.
Sharing his perspective on the Budget, Valliappa stated that the government has adopted a clear and structured approach aimed at aligning talent with industry needs, strengthening advanced manufacturing and reducing operational hurdles for technology-led services.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday described the Union Budget as a balanced and forward-looking plan aimed at realising a developed India by 2047. Speaking after touring Kuppam and attending several public programmes, the Chief Minister welcomed the budget, congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.