NEW DELHI: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday, January 27, participated in the traditional Halwa Ceremony, marking the start of the final phase of preparations for the Union Budget 2026–27, scheduled to be presented on February 1.The ceremony was held at the Budget Press in North Block, New Delhi.At the ceremony, Sitharaman was accompanied by Secretaries of all departments under the ministry of finance and senior officials associated with the Budget-making process. Union minister of state for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary was also present.As part of the event, the Finance minister toured the Budget Press, reviewed preparations and extended her best wishes to the entire Budget team.“All Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), Finance Bill will also be available on the ‘Union Budget Mobile App’ for hassle-free access of Budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the general public in a digital accessible mode,” a finance ministry release said.The documents will be accessible on the mobile app and the official website after the completion of the Budget Speech by the Finance Minister in Parliament, it added.
What is the Halwa Ceremony?
The Halwa Ceremony is a long-standing pre-Budget tradition in which “halwa” is prepared and served to officials and staff involved in compiling the Budget.The Halwa Ceremony precedes the mandatory ‘lock-in’ period for officials involved in Budget preparation. During this phase, officers remain confined to North Block without access to mobile phones or external communication to ensure confidentiality and prevent any leaks ahead of the Budget presentation.The upcoming Budget will be Sitharaman’s ninth, setting a new record and surpassing former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented five annual Budgets and one interim Budget between 1959 and 1964.
