Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present sixth Budget in a row

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her sixth straight Budget ahead of the Parliamentary elections, matching the record of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai. Sitharaman in her pre-election Budget, which technically is a vote on account and popularly termed an interim Budget, will seek Parliament's nod for a grant in advance to meet the central government's essential expenditure for the first four months of the new fiscal year that starts in April. A new government elected after the April/May general elections will present the full Budget, likely in July. Prime Minister Narendra Modi government's last Budget before the general elections is widely expected to contain a mix of measures for the economy and electorally significant segments like farmers and women. Peppered with political statements, it may be a political document with a snapshot of the Modi government's triumphs over the last 10 years and pointers to how it wants to take the country forward.