Sitharaman takes part in pre-budget halwa ceremony

The Indian finance minister will present the interim budget on February 1.

• Shubham
• 24 January, 2024

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By: Shubham Ghosh

INDIA’S traditional ‘halwa (sweet) ceremony’, which marks the final stage of the preparation process for the country’s budget, was held on Wednesday (24) evening at the headquarters of the finance ministry in New Delhi. The occasion signifies the official initiation of the printing process of documents related to the budget and a lock-in period, isolating top officials of the ministry who are involved in the preparation of the budget from their colleagues and family members to maintain the confidentiality of the key financial document.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman was seen unwrapping a big iron wok containing the halwa after briefly folding her hands and distributing it among officials of the ministry from a big iron container. Bhagwat Karad, her deputy in the ministry, was also seen.

Several other top officials from the ministry were also present. As part of the ceremony, the finance minister also took a round of the budget press and reviewed the preparations besides extending her best wishes to the officials concerned, a government press release said.

? Final stage of preparations for #InterimUnionBudget2024 commences with #HalwaCeremony2024 in presence of Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman, Union Minister of State for Finance Dr. @DrBhagwatKarad.

? Like the previous three full Union Budgets, Interim Union Budget 2024… pic.twitter.com/8vo1Zi2juK

— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) January 24, 2024

Some more glimpses of the #HalwaCeremony2024 at the Budget Press in North Block, New Delhi. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/DDb9abxQOk

— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) January 24, 2024

Sitharaman will present the interim budget on February 1 since this is an election year in India. The interim budget will take care of the fiscal needs till a new government is formed after the general elections due in a few months’ time.

The pre-budget ‘halwa’ ceremony has been followed over the decades and inspired by the Indian tradition of consuming something sweet before beginning a special task. It is also a gesture to acknowledge the efforts of those who were involved in preparing the budget.