The Indian Budget announcement is something every Indian looks forward to, whether it¡¯s to hear about tax benefits or anything new the budget has in store for the nation.?
However, the Budget of 2021 was different for a variety of reasons -- while also being a budget in a pandemic nation, it was the first-ever paper-less budget.?
We¡¯ve seen budgets being showcased in briefcases with a paper ledger or ¡®Bahi Khata¡¯ as it¡¯s called. This has been the case for several years and has been a British Tradition. However, this year, this briefcase was replaced by a made-in-India tablet, that was stored under a felt red sleeve with the national emblem on it.
Nirmala Sitharaman, who delivered her third budget donned the red-sleeved tablet with a cream and red silk saree, shared how it was ¡®high time¡¯ to shed the ¡®British hangover¡¯ and that it was much easier to carry.?
Reports have highlighted that going paperless for the budget also shows the push towards Digital India -- something that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi feels quite strongly about. They, however, haven¡¯t really shed light on the specification of the tablet or what OS it¡¯s running on.?
Moreover, the Finance Minister has also unveiled a special Union Budget Mobile App to allow MPs to access the budget documents easily through their smartphones and tablets.
The app aims to provide easy and hassle-free access to all Budget 2021-related information and documents to key stakeholders, MPs, media, and even us, the general public. The app has been developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) under the guidance of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA).
The Finance Ministry said in a statement, "The mobile app facilitates complete access to 14 Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), Finance Bill etc., as prescribed by the Constitution."
What do you feel about this year¡¯s budget announcements? Tell us in the comments section below.?