Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held the fourth Pre-Budget Consultation meeting on Thursday, bringing together stakeholders and experts from the export, trade, and industry sectors. The discussions were part of the preparations for the upcoming Union Budget 2025-26, focusing on key inputs to shape economic policies and priorities.

In a social media post, the Ministry of Finance shared, “Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman chairs the fourth Pre-Budget Consultation with the stakeholders and experts from export, trade and industry sectors in connection with the upcoming Union Budget 2025-26, in New Delhi, today.”

The meeting saw the participation of prominent officials, including Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, the Finance Secretary, the Secretary of Economic Affairs, the Secretary of DIPAM (Department of Investment and Public Asset Management), and the Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India.

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with a group of eminent economists and thought leaders in preparation for the Union Budget 2025-26 at the NITI Aayog premises. Prior to this in Jaisalmer on December 20, Sitharaman also chaired a pre-budget meeting with finance ministers of States and Union Territories.

Along with MoS Pankaj Chaudhary, the meeting was also attended by Chief Ministers of Goa, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Odisha; Deputy Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana. Finance Ministers of States/UTs. Secretaries of Departments of Economic Affairs and Expenditure and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance were also present during the meeting.

Sitharaman has so far held a series of meetings with various stakeholders, including with MSMEs, farmers’ associations, and economists. The Finance Ministry conducts several pre-Budget consultation meetings annually with experts, industry leaders, economists, and state officials. The formal exercise to prepare the annual Budget for the next financial year has already begun.

As is the convention, the Budget for 2025-26 will be tabled on February 1, 2025.The 2025-26 Budget will mark Nirmala Sitharaman’s eighth budget. All eyes will be on the key announcements and the government’s forward-looking economic guidance for the remainder of the Modi 3.0 tenure. (With ANI Inputs)