Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, February 1 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget at 11 am on Monday. The budget is expected to provide relief to the pandemic-hit common man as well as focus more on driving economic recovery through higher spending on healthcare, infrastructure and defence amid rising tensions with neighbours.

As India emerges from the Covid crisis, the ninth Budget under the Modi government, including an interim one, is widely expected to focus on spending for job creation and rural development, generous allocations for development schemes, putting more money in the hands of the average taxpayer and easing rules to attract foreign investments.

Live Updates:

Union Cabinet meet at 10.15 am to clear the Budget.

Also before the actual presentation, the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Budget for the fiscal year 2021-22.–PTI

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has now arrived at Parliament. 

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Sitharaman meets President Ram Nath Kovind before presenting the budget 

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday called on President Ram Nath Kovind before presenting the Union Budget 2021-22.

As per established tradition, the Finance Minister met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhawan before heading to Parliament.–PTI 

Finance Minister @nsitharaman, MoS Finance & Corporate Affairs @ianuragthakur, and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance, called on President Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting the Union Budget 2021-22. pic.twitter.com/FUNptDXnHB

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) February 1, 2021

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Sitharaman replaces Swadeshi ‘bahi khata’ with tablet as Union budget goes digital

With the Union Budget 2021 set to be delivered in paperless form for the first time, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman replaced the Swadeshi ‘bahi khata’ and switched to a tablet.

The Finance Minister was seen carrying a tablet kept inside a red coloured cover with a golden coloured national emblem embossed on it.–ANI

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman left the Finance Ministry for Parliament to announce the 2021-22 Union Budget. 

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