The Halwa ceremony, marking the final stage of the Union Budget 2025-26 preparation process, will be held on Friday (Jan 24) at 5 PM in the Central Secretariat's North Block, New Delhi, in the presence of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The ceremony will be led by Finance Minister Sitharaman in the presence of Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and secretaries. The officers and staff involved in the preparation and compilation of the budget would also be present.
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What is the Halwa ceremony?
The halwa ceremony is a customary ritual observed a few days before the budget presentation in the Parliament, involving the preparation and serving of "halwa" to officials and staff involved in the budget's preparation.
The halwa ceremony also marks the beginning of the lock-in period at the finance ministry, meaning that no official involved in the budget process is allowed to leave the North Block premises.
During this period, they are cut off from external communication, including mobile phones, and are allowed to leave only after the financial document is presented in Parliament. This ensures the confidentiality of the budget documents.
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Significance of Halwa ceremony
The making of the sweet dish is not just a festive event but majorly celebrates the hard work that goes in before the final stage of the budget preparation. Consequently, all the staff members who have been involved in the drafting of the budget are acknowledged for their contribution to the process.
Finance Minister Sitharaman is known for her active participation in the ceremony and is often photographed stirring the halwa in a large ‘kadai’ (wok) in the North Block and serving the sweet dish to everyone involved in the budget-making process.
The ceremony also symbolises the start of the lock-in period, which is done to maintain the confidentiality and security of the Union Budget.
The budget session of parliament will begin on January 31 and end on April 4, with an inter-session break from February 14. President Droupadi Murmu will address the joint sitting of the two houses of Parliament on January 31.
(With inputs from agencies)