The
Minister of Finance (or simply,
finance minister) is the head of the
Ministry of Finance of the
Government of India. One of the senior-most offices in the
Union Cabinet, the finance minister is responsible for the
fiscal policy of the government. As part of this, a key duty of the Finance Minister is to present the annual
Union Budget in
Parliament, which details the government's plan for taxation and spending in the coming
financial year. Through the Budget, the finance minister also outlines the allocations to different ministries and departments. Occasionally, he is assisted by the
Minister of State for Finance and the lower-ranked
Deputy Minister of Finance.