Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday departed from North Block for Rashtrapati Bhavan, carrying her trademark 'bahi-khata'—a tablet wrapped in a red cloth with a golden-coloured national emblem embossed on it—signifying the continuity of tradition and modernity in India's financial framework.

Sitharaman is set to present her historic eighth consecutive budget at 11 am in the Lok Sabha, a landmark achievement in itself. As per ANI, the budget speech is expected to unveil the government's fiscal policies, revenue and expenditure plans, taxation reforms, and various significant economic measures aimed at sustaining India's growth momentum.