Printing of Budget begins with ‘halwa’ ceremony

New Delhi, January 21

Minister of State for Finance and senior officials of the Finance Ministry today observed the symbolic ‘halwa’ ceremony to mark the launch of formal printing of documents relating to the Union Budget 2019.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, missed the customary pre-Budget event as he is currently in the US for a medical check-up.

The government would unveil the interim Budget on February 1, as the General Election is due in the next couple of months. The final Budget for the next fiscal would be presented by the new government. Finance Secretary AN Jha, Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey were among those present. 

As part of the ritual, ‘halwa’ is prepared in a big ‘kadhai’ (large frying pot) and served to the entire staff in the ministry.

The significance of the sweet dish is that after it is served, a large number of officials and support staff, who are directly associated with the Budget making and printing process, are required to stay in the ministry and remain cut off from their families till the presentation of the Budget in the Lok Sabha.

They are not even allowed to contact their near and dear ones through phone or any other form of communication, like e-mail. — PTI