Updated Jan 23, 2021 | 17:10 IST
As a part of the over-70-year-old ritual, the sweet dish is prepared in a huge kadhai every year and served to the entire staff at the finance ministry, North Block, around 10 days before budget. FinMin hosts Halwa ceremony to kick off 2021 budgetary exercise
New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday commenced the final stage of Union Budget 2021 with attending the customary ‘halwa’ ceremony.
As a part of the over-70-year-old ritual, the sweet dish is prepared in a huge kadhai every year and served to the entire staff at the finance ministry, North Block, around 10 days before budget.
Updated Jan 23, 2021 | 18:46 IST
In an unprecedented initiative, Union Budget 2021-22 will be delivered on February 1 in paperless form for the first time FM Sitharaman launches mobile app ahead of Union Budget 2021-2022
New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday launched the Union Budget Mobile App for hassle-free access of Budget-related documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the public.
In an unprecedented initiative, Union Budget 2021-22 will be delivered on February 1 in paperless form for the first time.
The decision to go paperless was taken as the printing process requires several people to stay at the press for around a fortnight. Over 100 people usually stay at the basement of North Block till the annual budget is presented. It cannot happen this year due to the Covid-19 restrictions. While the Halwa ceremony was also expected to be cancelled, the government went on with it.
File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. | BJP/Twitter
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair an all-party meeting to discuss the agenda for the Budget Session on January 30, a day after the session begins, PTI reported. Usually, the customary meeting takes place before the session starts.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told the news agency that floor leaders from all the parties had been invited for the meeting. “The all-party meeting will be held on January 30, where government will put forth its legislative business for the Parliament session and would also listen to the Opposition’s suggestions,” he said.
Joshi added that the meeting will be held virtually in view of the coronavirus crisis.
Budget 2021 | Centre in talks to impose COVID-19 cess: Report
The preliminary talks revolved around a small cess on taxpayers who fall under the high-income bracket and some indirect taxes. January 11, 2021 / 09:16 AM IST
An person receives a COVID-19 vaccine at a medical center in Jerusalem, on December 21, 2020. (Image: AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
To make up for the additional expenses incurred due to the coronavirus pandemic, the government is planning to impose a COVID-19 cess. The discussion regarding the same is underway and a final decision on whether the tax will be in the form of a cess or surcharge will be taken closer to the Budget announcement.