Parliament Passes Appropriation Bill, 2026

The Indian Parliament has passed the Appropriation Bill, 2026, completing a crucial stage of the Union Budget process.

The Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha).

It authorizes the withdrawal of funds from the Consolidated Fund of India for government expenditure in FY 2025–26.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that:

Government budgeting is transparent and realistic.

India’s economy is in a strong position.

₹57,000+ crore allocated towards Economic Stabilisation Fund.

Capital expenditure has increased 4.2 times (2017–18 to 2026–27).

What is an Appropriation Bill?

It is introduced under Article 114 of the Constitution.

It allows the government to withdraw money from the Consolidated Fund of India.

It is a Money Bill → Rajya Sabha can only recommend changes (cannot reject).

Consolidated Fund of India

Defined under Article 266(1).

Includes:

All revenues received by the Government

Loans raised

Receipts from loans

No money can be withdrawn without parliamentary approval.

Budget Process:

Budget Presentation (Article 112)

Demand for Grants (Lok Sabha only)

Appropriation Bill (expenditure approval)

Finance Bill (tax proposals)

Capital Expenditure (CapEx)

Refers to spending on infrastructure, assets, and development projects.

In Budget 2026–27, CapEx is about ₹12.2 lakh crore, reflecting infrastructure push.

Fiscal Indicators (Budget 2026–27)

Fiscal Deficit target: 4.3% of GDP

Focus areas:

Infrastructure

Manufacturing

Energy security

MSMEs