The government on Thursday initiated the process for preparing the Union Budget 2012-13 that is typically presented in February.

The finance ministry has issued a circular, asking government departments and ministries to submit their revenue and expenditure proposals to the Budget division of the Union government.

All the departments have been asked to follow ?gender budgeting?, which reflects the beneficiary class to highlight the proportion of public expenditure earmarked for women.

The circular contains guidelines for ministries to follow in framing the revised estimates for 2011-12 and Budget estimates for 2012-13. The departments have been asked to prepare their detailed revenue and expenditure plans.

These estimates of expenditure will be finalised after expenditure secretary Sumit Bose holds discussions with the financial advisers. These discussion would commence in October and November. Thereafter, various officials in the finance ministry would hold discussions with the industry, experts and economists, followed by final consultations with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.