Ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with economists and sectoral experts on Thursday to discuss the preparation for the Union Budget 2024.

The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman among notable figures, including Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery and other members of the planning body, attended.

During the meeting, in-depth discussions were held aimed at giving direction to the country’s economy in the coming fiscal year.

As reported by CNN-News18, the meeting focussed on job generation.

Among the experts and economists who attended the meeting are Surjit Bhalla, A K Bhattacharya, Prof Ashok Gulati, Gaurabh Ballabh, Amita Batra, Mahendra Dev, and K V Kamath, among others.

It is to be noted that the Pre-Budget consultations for Union Budget 2024-25 started from 19th June 2024 onward in the Ministry of Finance chaired by the finance minister and concluded on July 5. In the course of the in-person consultations, over 120 invitees across 10 stakeholder groups, including experts and representatives from farmer associations and agriculture economists; trade unions; education and health sector; employment and skilling; MSME; trade and services; industry; economists; financial sector and capital markets; as well as, infrastructure, energy, and urban sector, participated.

Notably, in her address to the joint sitting of Parliament last month, President Droupadi Murmu indicated that the government would come out with historic steps to accelerate the pace of reforms.

She also said that the Budget would be an effective document of the government’s far-reaching policies and futuristic vision.

During the previous Pre-Budget consultations, experts urged the government to provide tax relief to the common man to boost consumption and come out with steps to check inflation and accelerate economic growth.

The President of India, on the recommendation of the Union government, approved the proposal for summoning of both Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session, 2024 from 22nd July 2024 to 12 August 2024, subject to exigencies of Parliamentary Business.

Union Budget, 2024-25 will be presented in Lok Sabha on 23 July 2024.