FM Arun Jaitley kicks off Budget 2018 proceedings with 'halwa' ceremony: All you need to know about ritual

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today launched the formal printing of Budget 2018-19 documents with the ritual of ‘halwa ceremony’. Jaitley was joined by Minister of State (Finance) Shiv Pratap Shukla, Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia among others at the ceremony at North Block. 

Jaitley will present India's first post-GST and the current government's last full Budget on February 1.

Here is all you need to know about halwa ceremony:

1- The tradition of marking the beginning of printing documents which are part of the Union Budget begins with the ritual of ‘halwa ceremony’. 

2- As part of the ritual, which has continued for long, 'halwa' is prepared in a big 'kadhai' (large frying pot) and served to the entire staff in the ministry. 

3- The significance of the sweet dish is that after it is served, a large number of officials and support staff, who are directly associated with the Budget making and printing process, are required to stay in the ministry and remain cut off from their families till the presentation of the Budget by the minister in the Lok Sabha. 

Joined Union Finance Minister, Shri @arunjaitley at the Halwa Ceremony along with Senior Officers at North Block in New Delhi today and thereby launching the formal printing of different documents relating to the Union Budget 2018-19.#IndiaBudget2018 pic.twitter.com/IVqNdPuiic

— Shiv Pratap Shukla (@BJPShivPShukla) January 20, 2018

4- Only very senior officials in the Finance Ministry are permitted to go home.

5- The 'lock-in' of the documents is followed by the 'halwa ceremony', which is observed to maintain the secrecy of the budget preparation process.