What Is Halwa Ceremony And How The Tradition Started | EXPLAINED

New Delhi: The customary Halwa ceremony, that takes place five days ahead of the Union Budget, took place in the national capital's North Block today. This happened in the presence of Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Union Minister of State for Finance Dr. Bhagwat Karad. There will be two budgets this year as the country heads for elections this year. On February 1, Sitharaman will be presenting the Interim Budget. A full-fledged budget will be passed after a new government is elected to power.

Importance of the Halwa Ceremony

The traditional ceremony marks the final stage of compiling the Union Budget. It begins with the Finance Minister stirring the halwa in the kadhai and then serving it to the other colleagues and high-ranking officials in the ministry.

Significance of the Halwa Ceremony

The whole event is important as it signifies “send-off” for all Finance Ministry officials involved in the process.

Earlier, the documents were printed at Rashtrapati Bhavan, but this was shifted to a press on Minto Road in the national capital in 1950 after documents were leaked, and in 1980 to North Block.

Like the previous three full Union Budgets, Interim Union Budget 2024 will also be delivered in paperless form. The Interim Union Budget 2024 will be presented on February 1.An interim budget will be presented this year as Lok Sabha elections are expected to be held in April-May. A Finance Ministry release said that all the Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), Finance Bill, as prescribed by the Constitution, will be available on the "Union Budget Mobile App" for hassle-free access of budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and people.

Senior ministry officials were present at the Halwa ceremony. Officers and staff of the involved in the budget preparation and compilation process, were also present on the occasion.As part of the ceremony, the Union Finance Minister also took a round of the Budget Press and reviewed the preparations besides extending her best wishes to the officials concerned. The budget session of parliament will begin on January 31 and would conclude on February 9. This will be last session of Parliament before Lok Sabha elections.

(With inputs from agencies)