New Delhi, To mark the ceremonial beginning of printing of the Interim Budget 2019, the Finance Ministry on Monday organised the “Halwa Ceremony” in the absence of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Both Ministers of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla and P Radhakrishnan shared the customary halwa with finance officials at the ceremony held at the North Block here.

Union Finance Minister Mr Jaitley was not present during the halwa ceremony as he was in the US for the treatment. He has been diagnosed with Cancer.

The event marks significance as once 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

The Interim Budget would be presented in Parliament on February 1.