New Delhi: Finance Minister Sitharaman made history by presenting India’s Budget using a traditional bahi khata, a red cloth with the national emblem. This broke from the longstanding practice of using a briefcase that dated back to colonial times. The briefcase tradition began with William E Gladstone in 1860, who brought the Budget in a red suitcase adorned with the Queen’s monogram. Over time, various finance ministers used different styles: leather portfolios, file bags, and briefcases.
Piyush Goyal presented the Budget
In 2019, Piyush Goyal was the last to use the briefcase before Sitharaman’s change. In 2021, she further modernised by using a tablet instead of printed papers for her Budget presentation. This move reflects a shift towards contemporary technology and away from older ceremonial customs.
Pranab Mukherjee presented Budget with Red Briefcase
Before Sitharaman, Pranab Mukherjee and Manmohan Singh notably used red and black briefcases respectively during their tenures.
Budget Presented by RK Shanmukham Chetty
On 1047, RK Shanmukham Chetty, India’s first finance minister, brought a leather portfolio to present India’s first Budget.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru
Even Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru briefly held the finance portfolio and used a black briefcase for the Budget.
Sitharaman’s choice of the bahi khata carries symbolic significance, marking a departure from colonial legacies towards embracing India’s cultural heritage. Her innovative use of a tablet demonstrates adaptability to modern methods of communication and transparency in financial governance.
Overall, Sitharaman’s decisions regarding the presentation of the Budget highlight a blend of tradition and modernization in India’s fiscal policies and practices.
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Budget Presentation: In 1860, William E Gladstone started the briefcase tradition, who brought the Budget in a red suitcase adorned with the Queen’s monogram. Biz News Business News – Personal Finance News, Share Market News, BSE/NSE News, Stock Exchange News Today
