Budget 2022: What is Halwa ceremony and what is its significance?

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to present the Union Budget 2022 on February 1, 2022. With a few days left for the mega event in the realm of economy, the preparations for the traditional ‘halwa ceremony' must also be going in the full swing.

What is Halwa Ceremony? 

For the unversed, the halwa ceremony, which usually takes place a few days ahead of the Union Budget presentation, marks the final stages of the budget process. Last year, the ceremony took place on January 23, nine days ahead of the Budget 2021 presentation. 

The halwa ceremony takes place at the Union Finance Ministry headquarters, North Block, New Delhi. The Finance Minister, the Minister of State, and other top officials working with the finance ministry are usually present during the halwa ceremony.  

The Halwa Ceremony marks the last leg of the budget process. Previously, the traditional ceremony had marked the beginning of the printing process of the Budget documents. 

But last year, the Finance Minister launched the Union Budget Mobile App on the halwa ceremony day, since Budget 2021 had moved to a paperless mode for the first time ever in independent India due to pandemic restrictions. The app provides all the information related to the budget in a few taps. 

What is the significance of the Halwa Ceremony? 

The halwa ceremony is celebrated to recognise the efforts of all the employees involved in the making of the country’s budget for the particular year. Finance Minister serves the sweet dish (halwa) to the officials of the ministry. Everyone directly related to the Budget making process receives a bite of the dessert usually prepared in a large vessel. 

Traditionally, once the event is over, top officials and employees engaged in the printing and budget-making process are supposed to stay back at the basement of the Finance Ministry headquarters till the time the budget is finally presented by the minister. 

The step is taken to ensure that not a word about the budget goes out in public till the due time. All the officials and support staff remain cut off from their friends and families in the time period between the halwa ceremony and budget presentation. A few top officials, however, are allowed to leave the place. Also Read: India's forex reserves decline by over $1.4 billion

Last year, employees weren’t asked to stay back as there was no printing of the budget documents due to COVID-19 precautions. Also Read: CES 2022: BMW, Adobe, other brands give a peek into futuristic technologies, products