PIX: Prez feeds 'dahi-cheeni' to Sitharaman ahead of budget

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday called on President Droupadi Murmu before presenting her record eighth Budget in the Lok Sabha.

As per established tradition, the finance minister met the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan before heading to Parliament.

President Murmu offered 'dahi-chini' (curd-sugar), considered auspicious, to Sitharaman before she left for Parliament to present the Union Budget.

"Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman along with Minister of State for Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials of the Ministry of Finance called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan before presenting the Union Budget. The President expressed best wishes to the Union Finance Minister and her team for the presentation of budget," President's office said in a post on X.

Before the actual presentation in Parliament, the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Budget for fiscal 2025-26 (April 2025 to March 2026).

Clamour for tax relief is running high as Sitharaman presents her eighth Budget in the Lok Sabha on Saturday.