India Interim Union Budget 2024’s final stage preparation marked by customary halwa ceremony

Halwa ceremony. A customary Halwa ceremony is performed every year before the “lock-in” process of budget preparation begins. (Image courtesy: twitter.com/FinMinIndia)

#InterimBudget, #HalwaCeremony, #NirmalaSithraman, #FinanceMinistry

New Delhi/IBNS-CMEDIA: The Central government organised the customary halwa ceremony on Wednesday, which marks the final stage of the budget preparation process for the Interim Union Budget 2024.

The ceremony was held in North Block in the presence of Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad, and other officials of the Finance Ministry, according to a statement.

Some more glimpses of the #HalwaCeremony2024 at the Budget Press in North Block, New Delhi. (2/2) pic.twitter.com/DDb9abxQOk— Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) January 24, 2024

A customary Halwa ceremony is performed every year before the “lock-in” process of budget preparation begins.

“Like the previous three full Union Budgets, the Interim Union Budget 2024 will also be delivered in paperless form. The Interim Union Budget 2024 is to be presented on February 1, 2024,” the ministry said.

“All the Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as the Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), Finance Bill, etc., as prescribed by the Constitution, will be available on the ‘Union Budget Mobile App’ for hassle-free access of budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the general public using the simplest form of digital convenience. It is bilingual (English and Hindi) and will be available on both Android and iOS platforms,” the ministry said.

The app can also be downloaded from the Union Budget Web Portal (www.indiabudget.gov.in).

The budget documents will be available on the mobile app after the completion of the budget speech by the Union Finance Minister in Parliament on February 1, 2024, the ministry further said.