Briefcase to 'bahi khata' to tablet: How Budget presentation adapted to changing times

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to unveil the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2022-23 on February 1 even as the third wave of Covid-19 threatens the progress made over the past year through vaccinations.

To adapt to the changing times, the finance minister shifted from carrying a briefcase to a ‘bahi khata’ (ledger) in 2019, and from a 'bahi khata' to a tablet in 2021 to present the Union Budget.

Also Read | Budget 2022 | What is Demand for Grants?

The move to ditch the traditional 'bahi khata' came in the wake of pandemic-induced restrictions that prompted a digital overhaul of the annual exercise. Departing from a British tradition passed on to India, FM Sitharaman carried a 'bahi khata' (ledger) with the national emblem, wrapped with a ribbon, instead of a briefcase on July 5, 2019, when she presented her first full-time Budget.

Last year, the government also launched the "Union Budget Mobile App" to enable lawmakers and members of the general public to access Budget documents easily.

Here’s a lowdown on the tradition of carrying Budget briefcase:

1. ‘Budget’ originates from the French word Bougette, which means a leather briefcase.

2. Carrying the Budget briefcase is a tradition that has been handed over from the British.

3. The Budget briefcase is the Indian equivalent of the ‘Gladstone box’ used in the British budget.

4. In 1860, the then British budget chief William E Gladstone used a red suitcase with Queen’s monogram embossed in gold to carry his bundle of papers. It came to be known as ‘Gladstone Box’.

5. Gladstone’s speeches were extraordinarily long and thus he needed a briefcase to carry his speech papers.

6. The original Gladstone bag was officially retired from British service in 2010.

7. Unlike in Britain, different Finance Ministers in India carry different Budget briefcases. In Britain, only one briefcase is passed on from one finance minister to another.

8. On Budget day, the Finance Minister poses with the Budget briefcase outside the Parliament. In this combo of two images is seen present Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman (R), and former finance minister Arun Jaitley, outside the North Block ahead of the presentation of Union Budget in 2019 and 2018 respectively.

Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and current FM Nirmala Sitharaman. Credit: PTI Photo

9. India’s first FM R N Shanmukham Chetty carried a leather portfolio to present the first Budget in 1947.

10. Beginning 1970 onwards, Indian FMs started carrying a hardbound briefcase.

Watch the latest DH Videos here: