Budget 2011: Number three is lucky for Pranab

Union finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee believes three is his lucky number.

In the budget for financial year 2011-12 which he presented today, for all new initiatives the figure for the funds allocated started with the number 3.

“Honourable members must be wondering why all new projects have been allocated Rs300 crore. It is because number three is lucky for me,” Mukherjee said with a smile, making even the opposition members laugh.

Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, who was listening to the budget speech intently, also broke into a smile.

Mukherjee announced several new initiatives worth either Rs300 crore or Rs30,000 crore.

This is the sixth such exercise for the 75-year-old political veteran.

Mukherjee tabled three budgets between 1982 and 1984. The one tabled today was his third successive budget for the United Progressive Alliance II government.