India is the Diabetes capital of the world. But irrespective of the festival at hand, in all rituals and feasts, presence of the sweet element is a constant fixture. Be it a successful completion of anything significant, or the beginning of anything auspicious, the pundits, our elders or housewives recommend tasting something sweet. Cadbury targeted precisely this common trait of Indians with a memorable tagline- "Kuch meetha ho jaye". I remember my grandmother bringing a bowl of curd and sugar, just before departing for exams. She believed it will keep my mind cool and free of nervous thoughts during examination. Little did she know how my brain behaves inside exam hall.
Not just the households, this penchant for tasting sweet before a significant undertaking has been a long tradition at our parliament as well. Every year a 'Halwa Ceremony' is held at finance ministry, just before the Union budget preparation is started. Halwa or Sheera is a popular Indian subcontinent sweet made of flour, dry fruits, ghee and tons of sugar.
From this Halwa ceremony to when budget is tabled in the House, maintaining Data confidentiality becomes the top most priority for the government. Budget papers earlier used to be printed at Rashtrapati Bhavan post independence. But in the year 1950, a data leak caused the printing venue to be shifted at a government press. However, year 1980 onward, all the 100 odd officials involved get locked up inside the North block office permanently a few weeks prior and remain locked up till the union budget is presented by Finance Minister in parliament. During that period, they are cut off with their families and even the official email facility is heavily restricted. Not even the Finance Minister is allowed to carry a cell phone in the printing area. And the printed documents remain in the custody of only and only the department's Joint Secretary in the famous leather briefcase carried by the minister on D-day.
For year 2019 Union budget, the Halwa Ceremony took place yesterday. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley couldn't attend it for the first time due to his ongoing cancer treatment in US. That means a hundred odd qualified minds are confined in a basement as we speak, to decide what gets cheaper or costlier in coming days. In this mega election year, will this budget announce something palatable for you? Let's keep the fingers crossed and if it soothes your nerves, have something sweet :)
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