New Delhi – The Budget Session of Parliament begins today, starting with President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Following this, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey 2024-25 in both houses.

Economic Survey and Budget Preparations

The Economic Survey, prepared under the leadership of Chief Economic Adviser V. Anantha Nageswaran, will provide an official assessment of the country’s economic performance for the ongoing financial year. Additionally, it will highlight key economic challenges and propose a roadmap for future growth and reforms.

On Saturday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the first full budget of the Modi 3.0 government, with expectations of potential changes in income tax slabs among other key announcements.

Budget Session Schedule

The first phase of the Budget Session will continue until February 13, after which there will be a break for reviewing budget proposals. The session will resume on March 10 and continue until April 4. In total, 27 sittings are planned for the entire session.

The Lok Sabha has allotted February 3-4 for discussions on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, while the Rajya Sabha has set aside three days for the debate.

Key Bills to be Introduced

The government has listed 16 key bills for this session, including: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill The Railways (Amendment) Bill The Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill The Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill The Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Bill The Immigration and Foreigners Bill Stock

Market Sees Positive Trend Ahead of Budget

Ahead of the Budget Session and Economic Survey, domestic stock markets opened on a positive note on Friday, reflecting investor optimism over potential economic reforms. Sensex opened 184 points higher (0.24%) at 76,935. Nifty rose by 74 points (0.32%) to 23,323 in early trade.

Larsen & Toubro, Infosys, Titan, Tata Consumer Products, and Maruti Suzuki India contributed to Nifty 50’s gains. Bharti Airtel, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, NTPC, and Coal India saw declines. Among NSE’s 12 sectors, six advanced while six declined.

Nifty Metal saw the biggest decline, while Nifty IT recorded the highest gains. All Eyes on the Budget As the Budget Session progresses, public and market attention will be focused on key economic reforms, tax adjustments, and policy measures. The bills and financial provisions introduced in this session will play a crucial role in shaping India’s economic direction for the coming year.