Briefcase, bahi-khata…: Nirmala Sitharaman steps out with a tab, set to roll out first paperless budget

On July 5 2019, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting her first budget, departed from the set norm and walked into the Lok Sabha holding a red folder (bahi khata) instead of the traditional briefcase.

On Feb 1 2021, in her third budget, Sitharaman rolled in another first. The 61-year-old minister walked out of the Finance Ministry on Monday with a similar red folder but this time it contained a tablet as she set out for Parliament to present India’s first paperless budget. (LIVE UPDATES)

Weeks before the budget presentation, Sitharaman launched the “Union Budget Mobile App” for hassle-free access of budget documents by lawmakers and the general public. The mobile app facilitates access to 14 Union budget documents, including the annual financial statement (commonly known as Budget), demand for grants (DG), finance bill etc. as prescribed by the Constitution, the finance ministry said in a statement.

Also read: Nirmala Sitharaman may find it near impossible to please everyone in ‘never before’ Budget

The 2019 budget, the first Budget of the Modi government 2.0 after the party swept to power in May that year, was wrapped in a red folder with the Union government’s Ashoka emblem on it.

When asked about this change, Sitharaman told reporters, “Why did I not use a leather bag to carry budget documents? I thought it is high time we move on from the British hangover, to do something on our own. And well, easier for me to carry too.”

For decades Sitharaman’s predecessors carried the Budget papers to Parliament in a leather briefcase. The word Budget derives from the old French bougette, which means little bag.

“Sitharaman believes that leather made products are not auspicious for the big occasion, so she avoided the leather bag and took the bahi khata wrapped in the red cloth. This is considered to be auspicious. Also, ditching the briefcase symbolises our departure from the slavery of western thought… It is not a budget but a bahi-khata (ledger), ” Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian had said.

Also read: What happens to Union Budget once it is presented in Lok Sabha

The bahi-khata wasn’t Sitharaman’s only break from tradition. She refused to cut the ribbon on budget documents at the 2019 halwa ceremony, instead she untied the red ribbon. The halwa ceremony precedes the printing of the budget documents. The finance minister serves halwa to ministry staff  involved in the preparation and printing of the budget.

In another first Sitharaman, on February 1 2020, delivered the longest Budget speech ever. It ran for 2 hours 40 minutes. She cut short hetr speech when just two pages were left as she felt unwell.