Finance Ministry Begins ‘Halwa Ceremony’ To Mark The Beginning Of Union Budget 2021 Proceedings

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday celebrated the customary ‘Halwa Ceremony’ to mark the begining of printing of documents relating to Union Budget 2021-22. According to the reports, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur were present at the ceremony. 

Delhi: ‘Halwa Ceremony’ being held at Finance Ministry to mark the beginning of printing of documents relating to Union Budget 2021-22.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister of State for Finance & Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur are present. pic.twitter.com/Fj7azBd87Z

— ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2021

The halwa making ceremony is held every year by the government to kick off the budget session. The Indian dessert is prepared and served to the entire staff involved in budget preparation. The significance of serving Halwa to the officials is to laud the efforts of the staff involved in the budget-making process.

The Government budget is an annual financial statement that provides details of the estimated expenditure and expected revenues for the government in the forthcoming financial year. This time there will be no printing of the Budget due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There will also be no printing of the economic survey.

This year’s Budget session will be held in two part, first from January 29 to February 15 and the second from March 8 to April 8. Parliament will sit in two shifts with Rajya Sabha in the morning from 9am to 2pm and Lok Sabha in the second half in evening from 4pm to 8pm.