Budget 2023: Government holds 'Halwa' ceremony, marking final stage of Budget preparation

Starting the countdown to the Union Budget 2023, the Finance Ministry on Thursday held the usual 'Halwa' ceremony in the presence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, marking the start of the compilation of budget documents.

In an official statement, the government said the ceremony was held the next day in the North Block.

In attendance were Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, State and Finance Ministers Pankaj Chaudhary and Dr. Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad.

The usual 'Halwa' celebration is held each year before the budget reservation process begins.Like the previous two union budgets, the statement said, the Budget 2023 will be delivered electronically.

Finance Minister T. V. Somanathan, Economic Affairs Minister Ajay Seth, Secretary Dipam Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra, Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Anantha V Nageswaran, CBIC Chairman Vivek Johri, and other Finance Ministry officials and staff, are involved in the preparation of the budget and its compilation process. 

As part of the ceremony, Sitharaman also visited Budget Press and reviewed the preparations, as well as expressing her best wishes to concerned officials, according to the statement.

What is "Halwa" Ceremony?
As part of the budgeting ritual, 'halwa' is prepared in a large 'kadhai' (big pot) and served to all employees of the Ministry of Finance.

The importance of the sweet dish is that after it is served, a large number of officials and support staff, who are directly related to the budget preparation and printing process, are required to remain in the ministry.

Who attended the ceremony
The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Finance, secretaries of the ministry, budget department officials, two tax wings and employees who were locked inside the budget press until the end of the speech. They can't even communicate with their relatives.

Green budget
Continuing the tradition of presenting the paperless budget, Nirmala Sitharaman's fifth budget on February 1 will also be a green budget.

The 14 documents of the Union Budget 2023, including the annual financial statement (commonly known as the budget), the request for grants (DG), the finance bill, etc., as provided by the Constitution, will be available at the "union budget mobile app" for your convenience. Free access to budget documents by members of parliament (MPs) and the general public using the most basic form of digital convenience.