New Delhi: Hectic preparations are underway with finance ministry all set to observe the symbolic 'Halwa Ceremony' to mark the launch of formal printing of documents relating to the Union Budget 2019. The new NDA government will present the full Budget for 2019-20 on July 5.
"Halwa Ceremony is to be held today in North Block to mark the ceremonial beginning of printing of #Budget2019 documents."
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, MoS (Finance) Anurag Thakur, Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg and other senior officials will jointly launch the ceremony and share the halwa with the ministry officials, the finance ministry said in a tweet.
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.
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During the period they are not even allowed to contact their near and dear ones through phone or any other form of communication, like e-mail. Only very senior officials in the finance ministry are permitted to go home. The main objective of the move is to maintain the confidentiality of budget documents.
The customary tradition of halwa ceremony generally takes place before the Union budget and the commencement of Budget Session.
The key significance of this ceremony is that this also marks the beginning of printing of documents related to Union Budget.
