Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday once again underscored the government’s blend of tradition and technology by carrying the Union Budget documents on a digital tablet kept inside a red ‘bahi-khata’-style pouch.

The move continues the paperless Budget practice introduced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government. In 2019, Sitharaman had replaced the traditional leather briefcase—an inheritance from the British era—with the indigenous bahi-khata. Two years later, in 2021, she shifted to a digital tablet to carry the Budget papers, reinforcing a modern and environment-friendly approach.