In Pics: FM Sitharaman takes part in Halwa ceremony as final stage of Budget preparation begins
As part of the ceremony, Sitharaman also took a round of the Budget Press, a printing press that traditionally prints budget documents, besides extending her wishes to the officials concerned
The Halwa ceremony, marking the final stage of the Budget preparation process for Interim Union Budget 2024, was held in North Block, today, the finance ministry has said.
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A customary Halwa ceremony is performed every year before the 'lock-in' process of Budget preparation begins.
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As part of the ceremony, Sitharaman also took a round of the Budget Press, a printing press that traditionally prints budget documents, besides extending her best wishes to the officials concerned.
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At the Halwa Ceremony, Sitharaman was also accompanied by Finance Secretary T V Somanathan, Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth, DIPAM Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey, Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra, CBDT Chairman Nitin Gupta and CBIC chief Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, among others.
To maintain the secrecy of the budget, the finance ministry headquarters becomes a ‘Fort Knox’ of sorts. Officials involved in budget preparation undergo a “lock-in” at their workplaces and isolate themselves with strict rules in place to ensure no details are leaked out. During this time, phone calls are supervised, officials are not allowed to move out, and must stay under surveillance from CCTV cameras and the Intelligence Bureau.
