‘Outcome Budget’- A New Concept Of Policy Deployment
Posted : August 26, 2005 at 10:18 pm [IST]
On the 25.8.2005, Finance minister presented his first, and in all probability the historic ‘Outcome Budget’ in parliament. In many of my write-ups, I had been asking for this means of bringing in accountability. He claims to have provided a mechanism to measure the development outcomes of all major programs. As late as on August 22.2005, in ‘Bharat Nirvan through Bharat Nirman’ that I worte, I sought this short of document. Instead of providing only the outlays, the document provides the outcome of the outlays. For every ministry, the outcome budget establishes the targets for all the projects for every quarter of the year. Naturally, the accomplishments of the ministry will be judged on basis of this.
For example, Rs 4,000 crore has been earmarked for the Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana (SRGY). The scheme, according to outcome budget, will generate 86,110 million man-days of employment. And it goes further to the quarterly targets of the scheme. The target for first quarter is 17,220 million man-days, second 17,220 million man-days, third 30,140 million man-days and fourth 21,530 million man-days.
On the similar line, the outcome budget has also fixed physical targets for the 100% centrally sponsored National Food for Work Program (NFFWP) that can easily be monitored. It seeks to provide wage employment and food security in the 150 most backward districts. Under the scheme, the Centre provides cash and food grain to the states. The focus of the program is on works relating to water conservation, drought proofing (including afforestation/tree plantation), land development, flood-control/protection (including drainage in waterlogged areas) and rural connectivity in terms of all-weather roads.
For the road connectivity of rural India, the outcome budget has provided similar targets for the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) that seeks to connect 7,895 habitations by building 17,454 km of rural road. The budget has earmarked Rs 4,235 crore for implementing PMGSY. Under the rural housing scheme, the outcome budget has envisaged construction of 1.454 million houses at an estimated cost of Rs 2,775 crore.
The details of the ministry of power and road transport are interesting and with pretty good details. I hope it has been done with sincerity, as well as a will and mechanism in place to get implemented.
In professional management, a similar tool and technique called ‘policy deployment’ is in use in big and small efficient corporations. The policy deployment breaks down the overall target of the corporation into the targets for different operation levels up to grassroots levels. It provides a date of completion for each of the projects and also fixes up the responsibility of completion to a person or a group. It makes the whole work transparent and the performance assessment simple and effective. All the data of the ‘outcome budget’ will be available on the website of the different ministries.
The finance minister has very rightly wished the process to permeate down to state level too. The expectation will be to see it carried down further and build it at and for district and then Panchayat level.
The process of outcome budget is unique and voluminous running in more that 750 pages. Sometimes, it may appear that the work done has been tentative. It may require modifications and fine-tuning for improving it to serve the goal effectively. As expected, all the NGOs and, for that matter, all the responsible citizens must contribute with further positive suggestions and help in getting it useful for the overall growth of the country.
I am foreseeing, the concerned ministry will undertake a similar approach in implementation of the scheme for guaranteed rural employment. At the outside of every Panchayat Bhawan in rural India under the scheme, there will be a list of persons that have been benefited and the work done. The display will make the rural population aware of the scheme and they even can contribute in making that effective, if there is anything suspicious.
I am sure the process will cut down delays and also reduce the corruption. I only hope the non-completion of the targets will not be followed with a list of excuses and ultimately in a reduced value of the targets for the next budget. The ministry concerned will also take it seriously and keep the data updated every month.
If you want some media coverage, please read this.
- Indra
Category: Government Policy/Administration |
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