Budget 2016: From ‘halwa ceremony’ to ‘grounded’ North block babus, top 5 interesting budget facts

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Budget 2016: The process of printing documents for the Budget 2016-17 began on Friday with the ritual 'halwa ceremony', which was attended by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his deputy Jayant Sinha in the North Block office. Finance Secretary Ratan Watal, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, Economic Affairs Secretary and other officers and staff of the ministry involved with Budget preparation were also present. Here are top 5 interesting budget facts: (Image Source: PTI)

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1. Budget 2016: As part of the ritual, which has continued for long, 'halwa' is prepared in a big 'kadhai' (large frying pot) and served to the entire staff in the ministry. (Image Source: PTI)

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2. Budget 2016: The significance of the sweet dish is that after it is served, a large number of officials and support staff, who are directly associated with the Budget making and printing process, are required to stay in the ministry and remain cut off from their families till the presentation of the Budget by the minister in the Lok Sabha. They are not even allowed to contact their near and dear ones through phone or any other form of communication, like e-mail. Only very senior officials in the Finance Ministry are permitted to go home. (Image Source: PTI)

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5. Budget 2016: The officials who will be thrashing out the modalities of the budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's core Budget team , includes Jayant Sinha, Finance Secretary Ratan Watal, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das, Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, Disinvestment Secretary Neeraj Gupta and Financial Services Secretary Anjuly Chib Duggal. (PTI)

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4. Budget 2016: Around 100 officials are involved in the printing of the Budget and they will remain "locked" in the North Block office till the presentation of Budget on February 29. The "lock-in" which follows the 'halwa ceremony' is observed to maintain the secrecy of the Budget preparation process. (Image Source: PTI)

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5. Budget 2016: Budget Press in North Block houses all these officials in the period leading up to the presentation of Union Budget in Parliament by the Finance Minister. The first Budget of Independent India was presented by R K Shanmukham Chetty on November 26, 1947. (Image Source: PTI)