Rajya Sabha Takes Up Finance Bill, 2026, For Consideration And Return

The Rajya Sabha has taken up the Finance Bill 2026 and the Appropriation (No. 2) Bill 2026 for consideration and return. The Finance Bill seeks to give effect to the financial proposals of the Central Government for the financial year 2026-2027. Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary has moved the Bill in the House. Appropriation (No. 2) Bill 2026 seeks to authorise payment and appropriation of certain sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2026-27.

Replying to a discussion, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, Finance Bill was drafted with reforms in mind. She said, ‘Reform Express has guided the government to put various elements in the Finance Bill.’ She said the government has made sure that every section gets the benefit from the opening of the economy.

Initiating the discussion, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil said there are no serious changes in the tax structure, but the government has done only a little tinkering. He added that overall, this budget will not benefit the middle class.

He alleged that some changes have been made for those who are investing from overseas. Participating in the discussion, BJP MP Sanjay Seth said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has managed to keep the GDP-to-debt ratio under control. He said today the GDP-to-debt ratio of the centre and states combined is 83 per cent, which will be reduced to 50 per cent by 2030.

He informed that under the 2008-09 UPA government, the fiscal deficit was 7.5 per cent, which has now reduced to 4.3 per cent. He said this has been achieved after the Modi government paid the debt of one lakh 43 thousand crore rupees for oil bonds issued by the UPA government. The discussion on the Bill is underway in the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha had already passed the Finance Bill 2026 and the Appropriation (No. 2) Bill 2026. (UPDATED ON 27TH MARCH 2026)