Budget Countdown Begins As Finance Minister Attends ‘Halwa’ Ceremony Indicating Papers Have Gone For Printing

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday (20 January) kicked off the countdown to the union Budget on 1 February by joining the 'Halwa' ceremony and with this the Budget paper printing starts under utmost secrecy.

Sitharaman, Minister of State (Finance) Anurag Thakur participated in the 'Halwa' ceremony on Monday (20 January), which was held at the Finance Ministry in the North Block.

The ritual marks the beginning of printing of documents relating to Union Budget 2020-21. She will be presenting her second budget after the post-election budget presented in July 2019.

All finance ministry secretaries, CBDT, CBIC chiefs and other key officials involved with the Budget and staff were part of the Halwa event.

The Union Budget is expected to see investment in infrastructure, renewable energy, railways, agriculture, irrigation, mobility, health, water, when it will be presented on 1 February.

As the GDP growth dipped to 4.5 per cent in the last quarter, the government aims to boost demand and revive the economy and how it will be done, remains to be seen.

(With inputs from IANS)