On Tuesday, the Budget Press in North Block hosted the customary Halwa ceremony, which signifies the last phase of planning for the Union Budget 2026–2027.

Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman attended the function.

The Halwa ceremony is a significant custom that marks the start of the “lock-in” period for budget preparation officials.

In order to maintain total confidentiality until the Budget is presented, these officials are cut off from outside contact after the ceremony.

On February 1, the Union Budget 2026–2027 will be introduced in Parliament.

The secretaries of several Ministry of Finance divisions as well as other senior officials involved in the budget-making process attended the ceremony alongside the Finance Minister.

Additionally, FM Sitharaman went to the Budget Press to assess the last-minute arrangements and wished the entire team working on the Budget the best of luck.

Additionally, the administration declared that all Union Budget documents will be readily accessible to the public in digital format.

These include important documents like the Finance Bill, the Demand for Grants, and the Annual Financial Statement, generally referred to as the Budget.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Finance, “all Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), and Finance Bill, will also be available on the “Union Budget Mobile App” for hassle-free access of Budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the general public in a digital accessible mode.”

The Union Budget Mobile App, which is available in Hindi and English, will provide access to the budget papers.

The app is available via the Union Budget website, indiabudget.gov.in, and may be downloaded on iOS and Android devices.

However, only once the Finance Minister concludes her Budget statement in Parliament on February 1 will the Budget documents be accessible on the website and mobile app.

“The Budget documents will be accessible on the website and mobile app following the Union Finance Minister’s Budget Speech in Parliament on February 1,” the ministry further stated.