Budget 2021: How govt keeps the Budget a secret until FM's speech

The Budget session began on January 29 with President Ram Nath Kovind's address to both houses of the Parliament. Today, FM Sitharaman will present the Budget in the Parliament.

The Budget for FY22 will come on the backdrop of an economic contraction of 7.7 per cent.

The making of India's Union Budget kicks off with a customary ritual, called the 'halwa ceremony' in the presence of the Finance Minister and the Ministry of Finance staff. Officials who are tasked with printing the budget are kept in total isolation in North Block to maintain complete secrecy.

Some legal experts from the law ministry, Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) officials are also part of the team. A few days before the Budget speech, a few Press Information Bureau officials also join into work on press releases.  

Initially, the Budget documents were printed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. However, after a leak in 1950, the printing venue was shifted to a press at the Minto Road in Delhi. And, in 1980 the printing venue was shifted to North Block in the national capital.

Blue Sheet, a secret sheet, is maintained during the Budget preparation process. The Blue Sheet is called so as the colour of the sheet is blue. The Blue Sheet comprises significant numbers from the Budget and is constantly updated throughout the process of Budget formulation. The secrecy of the Blue Sheet is entrusted to the Joint Secretary of the Finance Minister. Only a handful of very senior officials get to actually see the Blue Sheet.

Additionally, to prevent any cyber theft, the e-mail facility on the computers of the finance ministry gets blocked as the Budget day approaches. The computers inside the press area are delinked from the National Informatics Centre (NIC) servers.

The Delhi Police, as well as, Intelligence Bureau keeps a close watch on movements of finance ministry officials.

On the day of the Budget, the Finance Minister first visits the Rashtrapati Bhawan to brief the significant points of the Budget to the President. Next, the FM meets the Prime Minister and briefs him and his cabinet about the salient features of the Budget. After which the Finance Minister visits the Lok Sabha where the annual general Budget is presented.

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