Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to lead the traditional Halwa Ceremony today (Friday, 24 January 2025) at 5 P.M. within the North Block of the Finance Ministry. The Halwa ceremony is a ritual undertaken almost a week before the presentation of the annual Union Budget as a gesture of appreciation towards the Ministers and Officials of the Finance Ministry involved in the preparation of the Annual Union Budget.
The procedure also serves as an indication of mental preparation for the members of the Finance Ministry who shall be involved in the ‘lock-in’ period, wherein all involved members shall confine themselves to the bounds of the Finance Ministry and are deterred from possessing mobile phones or other communication devices – to prevent any possibility of leaks regarding the forthcoming Budget.
The ‘shubh aarambh’ tradition involves the Finance Minister stirring a ‘kadhai’ (wok) containing the ingredients for halwa – a sweet Indian dessert with pudding-like consistency made from semolina, ghee, sugar, nuts and other ingredients.
The Future of Tax and Finance: Upskill with Us
A simple but effective recipe, the distribution of the Halwa is an ode to the contributions of the elected representatives and officials who bear the cardinal responsibility of devising a financial structure encompassing the needs and interests of 1.5 Billion Indians.
Although the beginnings of the tradition are vague, it grew in prominence following the Budget Leak in 1950 which revealed sensitive details of the Budget before the Official Release from the Ministry of Finance. At the time, portions of the Union Budget were still printed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, but has since been shifted to a dedicated printing press at the basement of the North Block of the Finance Ministry – to safeguard the final drafts of the Union Budget from leakage prior to the Presentation.
Nirmala Sitharaman is poised to present a record seventh budget, with the nation wishfully looking at the inclusions set to be brought by the third tenure of the Narendra Modi-led Central Government. The Union Budget 2025 is poised to address issues in regarding economic reforms, taxation, growth forecast, social welfare programs and real GDP growth.
Support our journalism by subscribing to Taxscan premium. Follow us on Telegram for quick updates
