In a first, Jharkhand tables 'outcome-based' state budget
04 Mar 2021 17:07:24
Ranchi, Mar 4: The govt of Jharkhand has presented an 'Outcome-Based Budget' on Mar 3, 2021, for the first time. In the budget, all the departments were assigned specific targets and responsibilities that are required to be completed in a specified time. The results with respect to those targets will be evaluated at the end of the financial year 2022.
Jharkhand Finance Minister Rameshwar Oroan tabled the 'Outcome-based budget' of worth Rs 91, 277 crores for the financial year 2021-22. The budget was increased from the budget of Rs 86, 370 crores in the year 2019-2020. The govt also stated that, in the year 2021-22, the fiscal deficit will be equal to Rs 10, 210.87 crores, which accounts for 2.83 per cent of the state’s GDP.
Under the new initiative of fixing responsibility, 11 departments like Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Cooperative, Health, Women and Child Development and Social Security have been included under the outcome-based budget. These departments have already submitted the detailed document regarding the work they have planned to do for the next fiscal year.
Under the schemes announced during the budget, a 'Universal Pension' scheme was announced for all old age, orphaned and disabled. This will incur an additional budget of Rs 365 crores for the state. Similarly, the Health and Family Welfare Department will be working with the objective of increasing number of MBBS seats in the light of operationalization of medical colleges in 15 districts.
The increased number of seats for MBBS will act as the 'output indicator' which accounts for annual availability of 1,500 MBBS doctors per year once the infrastructure is completed. The budget also announced to establish a 'cremation ground for cows' in every division of the state.
The Outcome based technique of presenting budget was recommended from the budget 2007- 08. Under this mechanism, each ministry handling a sector are required to present a preliminary outcome budget to the Ministry of Finance. The budget is presented with the objective of establishing correlation between the outlay, output and outcome of the budget.