Sitharaman poses with tablet: Journey from briefcase to paperless budget
Ahead of her seventh consecutive budget presentation for the fiscal year 2024-25, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman posed with a tablet in a red "bahi-khata" sleeve outside her office on Tuesday. Until 2019, finance ministers had carried a Budget briefcase for the presentation, but Sitharaman changed the tradition that year when she chose a red cloth pouch. Two years later, she made history again when she presented the budget in a paperless format, using a "Made in India" tablet.
Sitharaman's tablet marks departure from centuries-old tradition
The tradition of carrying a briefcase for budget presentations dates back to the 18th century, when Britain's budget chief was asked to "open the budget" during his annual statement. The term "budget" itself is derived from the French word "bougette," translating to leather briefcase. Over the years, Indian finance ministers have carried red, black, or tan colored briefcases, with RK Shanmukham Chetty being the first to do so in 1947.
Sitharaman's shift to digital
In 2019, Sitharaman broke the long-standing tradition of carrying a briefcase by replacing it with a "bahi-khata." The bahi khata is a red pouch that holds a tablet containing budget documents. It bears a golden national emblem on it. For her first budget presentation, Sitharaman chose a red cloth, symbolizing Indian tradition. The red color, often used to cover religious texts, added a cultural touch to the budget announcement.
First digital and paperless budget presentation in 2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, she further modernized the process by presenting the budget in a paperless format using a digital tablet. Sitharaman innovated by replacing the typical briefcase with an iPad or ledger. Since 2021, she has carried an iPad to her budget presentations, emphasizing efficiency and a departure from India's colonial legacy. According to a CNBC-TV18 report, Sitharaman read out her budget using a "Made in India" tablet manufactured by Samsung.
Upcoming Budget Session, economic growth expectations
The budget session of Parliament began on Monday and is scheduled to end on August 12. According to the economic survey presented by Sitharaman on Monday, the Indian economy is expected to grow at a rate of 7% in the medium term. This growth will depend on building on structural reforms, which require collaboration between the Union Government, State Governments, and the private sector.
