The Delhi government led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has begun its budget-making exercise for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The discussions will run for three days starting next month. The AAP-led government has asked all the leaders of departments to outline clearly and present the achievements of the third quarter of the current ‘Outcome Budget 2017-18’. This move is designed to ensure transparency and accountability in expenditure.
An official of the government said that the three-day department-wise discussion that is in preparation of the “Outcome Budget 2018-19″ would commence on February 7th. Just as in the past years, the main focus of the budget will be on education, health, and transport. The official said that the spotlight would be on rationalizing the already existent output and outcome indicators. The exercise would also discuss the introduction of new programmes in Outcome Budget 2018-19.
The official went on to break down into detail the schedule for the three-day planning exercise. On February 7th, the heads of departments will discuss the proposal and expenditure of the following agencies: education, women and child welfare, social welfare, art, welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST), labor, culture and languages, and Delhi Subordinate Service Selection Board (DSSSB). The government has implemented some schemes to develop the socio-economic lives of residents who are considered as STs and SCs – from households living below the poverty line in the country.
On February 8th, the government leaders would channel all attention to the following departments: health, tourism, home, development and environment departments. The following day, February 9th, the government leaders will focus on these departments: Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Urban Development (UD), Revenue among other sectors.
In 2017, the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had presented the Outcome Budget 2017-18. He said that India’s Delhi government was the first one too in the country to adopt such a practice.
According to the Delhi government, the outcome budget will ensure transparency and accountability in the expenditure. In addition to this, it will also help in assessing the performance of specific officials in their areas of work. Their performance report is included in the annual confidential report (ACR).
The heads of departments as instructed by the government are gathering all achievements of the Outcome Budget 2017-18 and will be presenting them come next month.
