Nirmala Sitharaman to Present Her Ninth Consecutive Budget Tomorrow
New Delhi: All eyes are on Parliament as Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha tomorrow at 11 am. In a rare occurrence, stock markets will remain open on Sunday, as this year’s Budget presentation coincides with the weekend.
The upcoming Budget will mark Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive presentation, bringing her within touching distance of a long-standing record set by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented 10 Budgets across two tenures. Desai delivered six Budgets between 1959 and 1964 and four more between 1967 and 1969. Former finance ministers P. Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee presented nine and eight Budgets respectively under different prime ministers. Sitharaman, who assumed office on May 31, 2019, has now served over six years as Finance Minister across the second and third Modi governments.
For Kerala, this year’s Budget carries added significance, with elections on the horizon and expectations of greater central support running high. The state government has submitted a comprehensive list of 29 demands to the Union Finance Minister, seeking targeted financial and policy backing.
At the top of Kerala’s wishlist are large-scale development initiatives linked to the Vizhinjam port, including rail connectivity, an industrial corridor, a maritime cluster, a green hydrogen hub, a seafood park, and modern logistics and fish landing centres. The state has also sought a special economic package worth ₹21,000 crore and the establishment of a Defence Research and Development corridor.
Kerala’s proposals further include strengthening rubber-based engineering, food processing, and value-added marine product supply chains, alongside the development of eco-cultural tourism circuits and medical tourism hubs. A Rare Earth Corridor connecting Vizhinjam, Chavara, and Kochi along the coast has also been pitched as a strategic project.
Addressing social and agricultural concerns, Kerala has requested ₹1,000 crore in special assistance to mitigate human-animal conflict and prevent crop losses. Additional demands include special packages for senior citizens, rehabilitation schemes for returning expatriates, ₹2,000 crore for Supplyco to set up paddy procurement centres and mills, a ₹1,000 crore Rubber Price Stabilisation Fund, and dedicated support for value addition and branding of tea, coffee, spices, and other plantation crops.
As Sitharaman readies to unveil her ninth Budget, Kerala’s extensive wishlist underscores the state’s push for transformative investments—making the Union Budget a closely watched moment for both policymakers and the public.
