Question

The Union Finance Minister presents the Annual Budget before ____________.
(A) The Parliament
(B) The Lok Sabha
(C) Rajya Sabha
(D) Prime Minister

Answer 1

Hint: There are six stages of enactment of the budget. These are the presentation of the budget, general discussion, scrutiny by departmental committees, voting on demands for grants. Passing of appropriation bill, and passing of finance bill.

Complete answer:
The budget is presented in two parts: Railway Budget and General Budget. Both are governed by the same procedure. The former is presented to the Lok Sabha by the railway minister first, in the third week of February and then subsequently on the last working day of February, the latter is presented to the Lok Sabha by the finance minister. The Finance Minister presents the General Budget with a speech called the ‘budget speech’. At the end of the speech in the Lok Sabha, the budget is laid before the Rajya Sabha, which can only discuss it.
The general discussion begins a few days after the budget’s presentation. It lasts usually for three to four days and takes place in both the Houses of Parliament. The Lok Sabha can discuss the budget as a whole during this stage.
After this, 24 departmental standing committees of the Parliament examine and discuss in detail the demands for grants of the concerned ministers and prepare reports on them, both the Houses of Parliament are then presented with these reports for consideration.
Subsequently, Lok Sabha takes upvoting of demands for grants, the demand becomes a grant after it has been duly voted. At this stage details of the budget can be discussed and motions can also be moved.
Except under appropriation made by law, no money can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of India. Thus, an appropriation bill is introduced and this bill becomes an Act after it is asserted by the President of India. Usually, this goes on till the end of April and takes time. No amendment can be proposed to the appropriation bill.
Amendments can be moved at this stage of the passing of the finance bill. The Finance Act legalizes the income side of the budget and completes the process of the enactment of the budget.

Thus, option (A) is correct.

Note: Since the government cannot withdraw any money from the Consolidated Fund of India till the enactment of the appropriation bill, the vote on account is passed after the general discussion on the budget is over. It is generally granted for an amount equivalent to one-sixth of the total estimation for two months.