Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman marked the commencement of the final stages of preparing Union Budget 2024-25 with the traditional 'halwa' ceremony held on Tuesday at the North Block in New Delhi.
The ceremony signifies the initiation of a lock-in period for officials and staff involved in crafting the national budget.
During the ceremony, the finance minister personally participated in the preparation and distribution of 'halwa', a sweet dish, to the dedicated team of officials from the finance ministry.
This symbolic event is a gesture of appreciation for their efforts and dedication in shaping the upcoming fiscal plan.
Accompanied by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials including Finance Secretary T V Somanathan, Economic Affairs Secretary Ajay Seth, and Financial Services Secretary Vivek Joshi, Sitharaman also inspected the arrangements at the Budget Press and conveyed her best wishes to the team responsible for executing the budgetary preparations.
In alignment with the government's digital initiatives, the full Union Budget 2024-25 will be presented in a paperless format.
All essential documents, including the Annual Financial Statement and Finance Bill, will be available on the 'Union Budget Mobile App', ensuring convenient access to stakeholders.
The 'halwa' ceremony holds historical significance, dating back to the era when budget documents were extensively printed at the North Block's basement press. This tradition has evolved with technological advancements, now marking a shorter lock-in period of five days, compared to the previous two-week confinement.
(With inputs from PTI)
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