Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was seen unwrapping a huge iron wok which had halwa in it and distributing it to the officials of the ministry.
In a video shared online, Sitharaman was seen stirring the halwa before serving it to the officials.
#WATCH | Delhi | The Halwa ceremony, marking the final stage of the Budget preparation process for Interim Union Budget 2024, was held in North Block, today, in the presence of Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister of State for Finance… pic.twitter.com/wjoyI5QqQ3
— ANI (@ANI) January 24, 2024
Besides Sitharaman, Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Karad also attended the ceremony.
The ritual has been followed for decades and is inspired by the Indian tradition of eating something sweet before starting something important or special. It is also a gesture to acknowledge the efforts of all those involved in preparing the Budget.
Nirmala Sitharaman will present the interim budget on February 1.