Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla kicked off anticipation for Parliament’s Budget Session by calling the President’s address a profound national directive, not just protocol.
Posting on X before President Droupadi Murmu’s joint session speech at 11 AM, Birla asserted: ‘The President’s address goes beyond tradition – it’s an essential message guiding the whole country. It delineates future policies, choices, and programs, encapsulating the upcoming year’s progress narrative.’
He linked it to democratic principles: citizen hopes as policy foundation, Parliament as implementer. A shared video delved into India’s budget history, showcasing staggering growth.
Independence-era 1947-48 budget: 197 crore in a nascent economy of 2.78 lakh crore, centered on survival – food security, running government, foundational infra. 1960s-70s: Green Revolution investments yielded food independence via public-rural focus.
1991 reforms pivoted paradigms. Budgets expanded rapidly: 1991-92 at 1 lakh crore ($270B GDP); 2000-01: 3-4 lakh crore ($468B); 2010-11: 10-12 lakh crore ($1.67T); 2020-21: 35 lakh crore despite COVID ($2.67T).
Current budgets surpass 50 lakh crore, fueling $4T+ economy – 25,000x expansion. Priorities now: advanced infrastructure (expressways, rails, airports), digital revolution, startups, defense indigenization, green energy, AI, data centers, semiconductors, manufacturing boom, Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Birla’s prelude positions the address as a cornerstone for lawmakers to align on visionary fiscal strategies amid this economic renaissance.