New Delhi, January 21: To mark the launch of formal printing of documents relating to the Union Budget 2019-20, the symbolic ‘Halwa Ceremony’  was held in the national capital on Monday. As part of the customary ritual, the halwa is prepared in a big kadhai (vessel) and served to the staff of the Ministry. According to a tweet by ANI, the ceremony was held in Finance Ministry and was attended by Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, Secretary DEA Subash Garg and MoS Road Transport and Highways Pon Radhakrishnan. Interim Budget 2019: Middle Class Likely to be Wooed by Narendra Modi Govt; Higher 80C, Housing Loan Exemption Limit on Cards.

Budget 2019-20 will be the fifth full-fledged budget of the NDA government which is scheduled to be unveiled in the Parliament on 1st February 2019. The Halwa ceremony marks the starting point of printing of the budget documents.  The significance of the Halwa Ceremony is that after it is served, the officials and the supporting staff of the Finance Ministry, who are directly associated with the Budget making and printing process, are required to stay in the ministry till the presentation of the Budget by the minister in the Lok Sabha. Interim Budget 2019: Middle Class Likely to be Wooed by Narendra Modi Govt; Higher 80C, Housing Loan Exemption Limit on Cards.

Take a look at the tweet:

This means, these officials have to remain cut off from their families without any contact through phone or any other form of communication. Reports inform that only very senior officials in the finance ministry are permitted to go home during this period.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 21, 2019 11:19 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).