Union Budget 2026: Why ‘Halwa Ceremony’ is celebrated before Budget? Why are officers in ‘prison’ for 10 days? Learn interesting traditions

• Why Govt Celebrates ‘Halwa Ceremony’ Before Budget?
• Officials become 10 days ‘in custody’!
• Learn the history and significance of this interesting tradition

What is Halwa Ceremony: Union Budget 2026 Only a few days left for submission. The Finance Minister will present the budget in Parliament on February 1. However, before that, a very important and generational tradition is observed in the Ministry of Finance, which is ‘Halwa Ceremony’. It is not just a sweet feast but also the official start of the highly confidential budget process.

What is a ‘Halwa Ceremony’?

After the budget is finalized and before its physical printing or digital feeding begins, the halwa is made in a large cauldron at the finance ministry headquarters (North Block) in Delhi. The Finance Minister himself initiates the program by instigating the move and personally extends it to all the key officers and employees of the Ministry. This program is considered to be the beginning of the ‘lock-in’ process of the budget.

‘Good work begins with sweetness’

Indian culture has a tradition of starting any big and auspicious work by eating ‘sweet’. This ceremony started with this idea decades ago. This tradition is not limited to sweet treats, but is a way to honor the hard work and loyalty of the employees who prepare the budget day and night.

Officials become 10 days ‘in custody’!

After the halwa distribution program is over, more than 100 officials and staff related to budget printing and data entry go to the press located in the basement of North Block. From there, the officers become ‘invisible’ to the outside world for the next 10 days. Until the Finance Minister completes his budget speech in Parliament, these officials cannot meet their families or talk on the phone.

Union Budget 2026 : February 1 Parliament vacation cancelled; Budget on Sunday, tradition continues

Tight security system

Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials guard this basement 24 hours a day. There is only one landline phone, which can only receive calls from outside, but cannot make calls from inside. All these employees live, eat and sleep in the same basement, so that no budget information is leaked.

Tradition remains in the digital age

India’s budget has become ‘paperless’ from 2021. Now instead of printing thousands of copies of the budget, it is presented in digital form. However, although the printing work has reduced, the tradition of ‘Halwa Ceremony’ and ‘Najarkaidechi’ is still strictly followed to preserve data feeding and privacy.

When will this ceremony be held this year?

As the Budget will be presented on February 1, 2026, this year’s Halwa ceremony is likely to take place between January 20 and 24, 2026. It is only after this ceremony that all the important officers working on the budget will go ‘underground’ for 10 days, completely cutting off contact with the outside world.

It’s clear! The Union Budget will be presented on Sunday itself; Approval of Budget Session Dates