The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Finance Bill 2026 with a voice vote, negating amendments moved by the Opposition members and approving the 33 government amendments moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The Bill will now go to Rajya Sabha and once the Upper House approves it, the Budget process for 2026-27 will be complete.
The Union Budget 2026-27 envisages a total expenditure of Rs 53.47 lakh crore, an increase of 7.7 per cent over the current fiscal ending March 31. The fiscal deficit for FY27 is projected at 4.3 per cent of GDP, lower than 4.4 per cent in the current fiscal.
Replying to the debate on the Bill, Sitharaman hit out at the Congress party for “giving lectures” on fiscal deficit while the Modi government has been repaying loans raised through oil marketing bonds during the Congress-led UPA government
