Cash News
The Finance Ministry has commenced preparations for the 2025-26 Union Budget, with pre-Budget consultations scheduled to start on October 10, according to an official circular.
Each year, the Budget-making process begins with discussions with various ministries and departments, followed by the Finance Minister’s meetings with industry representatives.
This year’s consultations will begin with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and will continue with sessions involving the Ministries of Statistics, Skill Development, and Labour & Employment, as per the Department of Economic Affairs’ official schedule.
The meetings, set to run until November 11, aim to finalize the budget allocations for FY26 and revise the estimates for the current fiscal year.
Key scheduled meetings include discussions with the Ministry of Civil Aviation on October 11, Petroleum & Natural Gas on October 14, MSME on October 15, Housing and Electronics on October 17, and Defence and External Affairs on October 24. Other significant consultations are planned with the Ministry of Steel on October 28, Agriculture on November 5, Road, Transport and Highways on November 7, and Railways on November 11.
The pre-Budget consultations will be chaired by newly appointed Expenditure Secretary Manoj Govil. Following these ministry-level meetings, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to hold discussions with industry bodies and other stakeholders in early December, before the formal preparation of the Budget.