Budget 2019: Interim Budget 2019 will be presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on 1st February 2019; however, did you know a Halwa Ceremony precedes the budget printing process. Going by the traditions of a country that is widely known for its love for all things sweet and where Halwa is considered auspicious before initiating any crucial task, the Finance Ministry holds a Halwa Ceremony 10 days just before the Union Budget is to be presented.

The Halwa Ceremony kicks off the budget printing process wherein Finance Minister along with other officials are served Halwa in the North Block before the blueprint of the upcoming Budget goes into printing. Around 100 officials involved in the budget-printing process are completely quarantined from the outside world in the basement of the North Block for good 10 days preceding the announcement of Budget.

The history of Halwa Ceremony dates back to decades now. As a customary ritual, Halwa is prepared in a big wok inside the North Block of the parliament and served to all officials and staff members of the Finance Ministry. Soon after the Halwa Ceremony, members pave way to the basement of the North Block, where the printing press is located.

In a way, the Halwa Ceremony is considered a non-verbal promise to keep the Budget guarded and earmarks a blind blanket over Budget process to maintain utmost secrecy until the Finance Minister officially presents it in the Parliament. No official is allowed to carry mobile phones or any other means of communication. Only urgent calls on the landline are allowed in front of an Intelligence Officer.

The entire North Block is turned into a fortress after the Halwa Ceremony, with CRPF Jawans all around, with jammers, scanners, CCTV cameras and other security measures beefed up, closely guarding the next year’s Budget!