New Delhi: Parliament on Friday approved the Finance Bill 2026, with the Rajya Sabha returning it to the Lok Sabha by voice vote, marking the completion of the budget process for the upcoming fiscal year beginning 1 April.

The Lok Sabha had earlier passed the bill on 25 March, incorporating 32 amendments. The Rajya Sabha returned the bill after a brief discussion, during which Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed questions from members.

The Union Budget 2026-27 proposes total expenditure of ₹53.47 lakh crore, representing a 7.7 per cent increase over the current fiscal year ending 31 March. Capital expenditure for the next fiscal is set at ₹12.2 lakh crore.

The budget anticipates gross tax revenue collections of ₹44.04 lakh crore and gross borrowing of ₹17.2 lakh crore. The fiscal deficit for 2026-27 is projected at 4.3 per cent of GDP, slightly lower than the 4.4 per cent estimated for the current fiscal.

This completes the government’s budgetary exercise, setting the financial roadmap for the new fiscal year.