Odisha: Sudarsan Pattnaik welcomes Union Budget 2026 with sand art on Puri beach

FM Sitharaman will present the Union Budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the Lok Sabha as part of the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.

The sculpture carries the messages "Welcome Union Budget 2026" and "For Viksit Bharat." It also depicts India's various developments, reflecting growth in areas such as agriculture and infrastructure. Several visitors gathered at the beach to view the sculpture and take pictures.

Pattnaik is best known for using sand art to comment on national and global issues. Through this creation, he welcomed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ahead of the Budget presentation.

According to the List of Business, the Lower House will meet at 11 a.m. Sitharaman will present a statement of the estimated receipts and expenditures of the Government of India for the year 2026-27.

The Finance Minister will also lay on the table two statements under Section 3(1) of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003. These include the Medium-Term Fiscal Policy-cum-Fiscal Policy Strategy Statement and the Macro-Economic Framework Statement.

The List of Business further states that Sitharaman will move for leave to introduce the Finance Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The Finance Bill gives legal effect to the government's financial proposals.

She is expected to present a Rs 54.1 lakh crore Union Budget for FY 2026-27, registering a year-on-year growth of 7.9 per cent, according to a report by Sunidhi Securities & Finance Limited. The report highlighted that the size of the Union Budget, measured by Total Expenditure (TE) as a percentage of GDP, is the clearest indicator of the government's fiscal intent.

The Budget session will span 30 sittings over 65 days, concluding on April 2. The two Houses will adjourn for a recess on February 13 and reconvene on March 9 to enable the Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. (ANI)