Pranab Mukherjee: It is a historic budget session

New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee today termed this year’s budget session a ‘historic’ one, heralding the advancement of the Budget cycle and merger of the Railway Budget with the General Budget for the first time in Independent India.

In his address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament, the President said,''this is a historic session heralding the advancement of the Budget cycle and merger of the Railway Budget with the General Budget for the first time in independent India. We gather once again to celebrate democracy, a cherished value and culture that has prospered throughout the long history of our nation. Indeed, a culture that guides my government towards Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.''

This year, the presentation of the Budget has been advanced to February 1 to enable completion of the Budget process before the end of the financial year.

Also, this year’s budget does away with the practice of a separate Railway Budget which has been merged with the General Budget.

UNI