Budget 2024: What is ‘Halwa ceremony’? Why is it so important?

livemint.com:

Interim Budget 2024, was held in North Block in the presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and MoS Finance Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad on Wednesday. So, what is ‘Halwa ceremony’? And why is it so important? The budget-making is a long process, it takes several months of planning, consulting and compiling to create the final draft of the Budget document. The process begins almost six months before the financial statement is presented in Parliament, commencing deliberations in August-September of the previous year.

An integral prelude to the Budget presentation is the traditional "Halwa ceremony", hosted and attended by the Finance Minister and other officials of the ministry involved in the Budget-making process inside the North Block. The ceremony heralds the start of Budget document printing. As per tradition, every year the Finance Ministry hosts a 'Halwa ceremony', around 9 to 10 days before the Union Budget is presented in the Parliament.

The ceremony marks the commencement of the process of printing the Union Budget. This ceremonial activity takes place in the basement of the Finance Ministry (North Block) within Central Delhi, home to a dedicated printing press. The popular Indian sweet dessert is prepared in a massive kadhai and served to the Finance Ministry staff.

The Finance Minister gives the go-ahead by stirring the kadhai and serving the sweet to officials. It is also a gesture to recognise the efforts of all the members in preparing the Union Budget. What makes the ceremony significant is that it initiates the ‘lock-in’ for the ministry staff to prevent leaks, lasting until the financial statement is tabled.