Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharam on Tuesday presented the Union Budget for the financial year 2022-23 in Parliament.

She began her speech by expressing empathy towards those who died due to Covid-19.

“I want to take a moment to express my empathy for those who had to bear adverse health and economic effects due to the pandemic”, she said.

A Union cabinet meeting was also held prior to the presentation, duirng which the budget was approved, reported ANI.

The finance minister met President Ram Nath Kovind earlier in the day ahead of her presentation.

She was accompanied by Union ministers of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary and Bhagwat Larad and other officials of the ministry.

The Union Budget was presented in a paperless format in an attempt to go green.

Sitharaman read out the budget at the Parliament through a tab, instead of the traditional ‘bahi khata’.