Never miss a great news story!
Get instant notifications from Economic Times
AllowNot now


You can switch off notifications anytime using browser settings.
SECTIONS
ET APPS
ET Android AppET iPhone AppET iPad AppET Wealth Android AppET Blackberry AppET Markets Android AppET Markets iPhone AppET Money Android App
ENGLISH
हिन्दीગુજરાતી
E-PAPER
ET PRIME
FOLLOW US
FACEBOOKTWITTERYOUTUBELINKEDINGOOGLE PLUSRSS
Business News›News›Politics and Nation›The halwa connection: Printing of Budget begins with this sweet ceremony

The halwa connection: Printing of Budget begins with this sweet ceremony

The Halwa Ceremony

The Halwa Ceremony

Minister of State for Finance and senior officials of the Finance Ministry Monday observed the symbolic 'Halwa Ceremony' to mark the launch of formal printing of documents relating to the Union Budget 2019.

The NDA government on February 1, would unveil the interim Budget for 2019-20 as the general elections are due in the next couple of months. The final Budget for the next fiscal would be presented by the new government.

(In pic: Union MoS for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla (2nd L) and Pon Radhakrishnan (3rd L) with the officials of his ministry taking part in the 'Halwa Ceremony' to mark the beginning of printing of budgetary documents)

1/5
AP
Missing Mr. Finance Minister

Missing Mr. Finance Minister

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, missed the customary pre-Budget event as he is currently in the US for a medical check up.

Jaitley is expected to return home from the US to present the interim budget (vote on account) on February 1, his last before the general elections in May. The Budget Session of the parliament will be held from January 31 to February 13.

2/5
BCCL
Budget Press houses all the officials

Budget Press houses all the officials

Budget Press in North Block houses all these officials in the period leading up to the presentation of Union Budget in Parliament by the Finance Minister.

3/5
TIMESOFINDIA.COM

Richest Bollywood actresses from India.

Ad: CRITICSUNION

What's the significance?

What's the significance?

As part of the ritual, 'halwa' is prepared in a big 'kadhai' (large frying pot) and served to the entire staff in the ministry.

The significance of the sweet dish is that after it 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.

4/5
Agencies
The first budget

The first budget

The first budget of Independent India was presented by the first finance minister R K Shanmukham Chetty. This was from the seven-and-a-half period from August 15, 1947 to March 31, 1948. The budget estimate for total revenues was a mere Rs 171.15 crore. A fiscal deficit was a paltry Rs 204.59 crores.

5/5
Agencies
X
User