Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took part in the ‘Halwa’ ceremony, marking the final stage of the Budget preparation process for Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday.
The traditional ‘Halwa’ ceremony took place at the Union Finance Ministry headquarters in North Block, Delhi.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was seen unwrapping a large iron wok filled with halwa, which she then distributed to ministry officials.
Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, along with secretaries, officers, and staff involved in the Budget preparation process, were also present at the ceremony.
The halwa ceremony is a customary event held about a week before the “lock-in” process of Budget preparation begins.
During this event, a large batch of halwa is prepared in the Ministry of Finance kitchen. Following tradition, Ms Sitharaman stirred the halwa before serving it to the officials.
This Indian dessert is given to all those directly associated with the budget-making process. After the ceremony, the officials stay in the Finance Ministry until the Finance Minister presents the Budget.
This lock-in process is crucial for maintaining the secrecy of the upcoming budget and preventing any leaks before it is presented in Parliament. The budget is printed only after receiving approval from the Prime Minister. To ensure secrecy, the Intelligence Bureau chief conducts surprise visits to the printing press area in the basement of North Block.
The ‘halwa’ ritual has been followed for decades and is inspired by the Indian tradition of eating something sweet before starting something important or special. It also serves as a gesture to acknowledge the efforts of all those involved in preparing the Budget.
The Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to begin on July 22 and will conclude on August 12. The Budget will be presented on July 23.
Source Agencies
