Union Budget 2023: Budget is just a short distance away, Halwa Ceremony will be held tomorrow, Corona had broken years old tradition
Every year before the budget, the tradition of ‘Halwa Ceremony’ will be celebrated tomorrow i.e. on 26 January. This traditional ceremony will be organized in the presence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Highlights
- In Indian tradition, any auspicious work is started with sweets.
- That’s why pudding is made before presenting the budget process considering it auspicious.
- As a ritual in the process of making pudding, the Finance Minister also stirs the ladle in the pan.
New Delhi. Every year before the budget, the tradition of ‘Halwa Ceremony’ will be celebrated tomorrow i.e. on 26 January. This traditional ceremony will be organized in the presence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This is done before the process of “locking in” the officials involved in the preparation of the budget. The budget for the financial year 2023-24 will be presented by the Finance Minister on 1 February. The budget preparation process is in its final stage. The Finance Ministry itself has announced this through its Twitter handle.
Although the tradition of celebrating this ceremony is being followed since independence, but this tradition was stopped last year due to fear of Omicron infection. This happened for the first time in the history of India, when this tradition of Halwa ceremony was not followed before the budget.
With this tweet, the Finance Ministry informed that like the budget of the last two years, this time also the budget will be presented in paperless form. Android and iOS users can also read the budget speech given by the Finance Minister on their smartphones and other devices.
Who will be involved in
the Halwa Ceremony Along with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Finance, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and other senior officials will also participate in the Halwa Ceremony. Officers associated with Union Budget Press will also be a part of this ceremony.
Why is there a Halwa ceremony?
In Indian tradition, any auspicious work is started with a sweet, so halwa is made before presenting the budget process considering it auspicious. In the process of making halwa, as a ritual, the Finance Minister also stirs the ladle in the pan and also distributes it among her colleagues.
That’s why officers are locked in the room
All the officers and other staff who make the budget are kept locked in one place from its beginning till the budget is presented. This step is to maintain the secrecy of the budget and only after it is made public, these officers and employees are allowed to meet their families or other relatives. The press is also located inside the North Block to print the budget.
