Printing Of Budget 2019-20 Documents Begins With ‘Halwa’ Ceremony
Printing of Budget 2019-20 documents begins with ‘Halwa’ ceremony.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur and senior officials of the ministry observed the symbolic 'Halwa' ceremony to mark the launch of formal printing of documents relating to the Union Budget 2019-20.
The National Democratic Alliance government will unveil the full Budget for 2019-20 on July 5. On Feb. 1, the government had presented an interim budget to take the parliament’s nod for spending till the new government takes charge.
Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management Secretary Atanu Chakraborty and Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar too attended the customary pre-Budget event.
As part of the ritual, 'halwa' is prepared in a big 'kadhai' (large wok) and served to the entire staff in the ministry.
Halwa ceremony marking the commencement of Budget printing process for the General Budget 2019-20 was held in North Block here today afternoon in the august presence of the Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman. (Source: PIB)- Halwa ceremony marking the commencement of Budget printing process for the General Budget 2019-20 was held in North Block here today afternoon in the august presence of the Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman. (Source: PIB)
- Halwa ceremony marking the commencement of Budget printing process for the General Budget 2019-20 was held in North Block here today afternoon in the august presence of the Union Minister of Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman. (Source: PIB)
The significance of the event is that after the sweet dish 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.
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.