Despite the likely fiscal slippage this year, next year may be better for government finances due to higher tax collections.

Two weeks to go before Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presents the Union Budget 2018-2019, the last regular Budget under the Narendra Modi government. Public expectation, therefore, is high that the coming Budget will be populist in nature, trying to please as many as possible.

The Income-Tax Department is scrutinising in detail all unexplained credits and investments in personal as well as corporate income-tax filings and is even looking to invoke the Benami Act in many cases.

The first Budget since demonetisation has been a careful exercise by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. It caters to the core constituency - farmers and lower income people - while not introducing anything that hurt industry.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday presented Union Budget 2017-18 in Lok Sabha. 

After paying tribute to the parliamentarian and former Union minister E Ahamed, finance minister Arun Jaitley tables the Union Budget 2017 as scheduled. Catch all the live updates here.

The Union Budget for FY 2016-17 presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.