Budget 2025: Halwa Ceremony To Be Held Today

The traditional Halwa ceremony, marking the final phase of preparations for the 2025-26 Union Budget, will take place at North Block today evening.

As per tradition, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will lead the ceremony, with Minister of State Pankaj Chaudhary and various secretaries in attendance.

The officers and staff who played a key role in the budget preparation and compilation process will also be present to celebrate the occasion.

What is the Halwa Ceremony?

The Finance Minister traditionally stirs the halwa and serves it to those involved in the budget-making process, symbolizing gratitude for their hard work. This event signals the start of the printing of all budget documents, which are prepared ahead of the presentation in Parliament.

Additionally, the ceremony marks the beginning of the lockdown period at the finance ministry, where no official is permitted to leave the premises until after the budget is presented in Parliament.

This “lock-in” has been a longstanding tradition since 1980, with the printing of the Union Budget documents taking place in the basement of North Block.

The Budget session of Parliament will begin on January 31 and conclude on April 4, with the Budget being presented on February 1.

On January 31, President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint session of both Houses of Parliament. Parliament will have an inter-session break from February 14, resuming on March 10.

This will mark Finance Minister Sitharaman’s seventh budget presentation, surpassing the record of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented five annual budgets and one interim budget between 1959 and 1964.