Govt discontinues UPA's scheme to assess depts' performance

A scheme started by the erstwhile UPA government to monitor performance of each central ministry based on set priorities has been discontinued, the government said today.
"Various ministries had outlined their objectives and targets for the year 2014-15. However, the government has not further pursued the mechanism of the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System (PMES) for the year 2014-15 and thereafter," Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had in September 2011 approved the outline of PMES for government departments.
As per the scheme, at the beginning of every financial year, each department will prepare a Results-Framework Document (RFD) consisting of the priorities set out by the Ministry concerned, President's address, announcements or agenda as spelt out by the government from time to time.

The minister in-charge will decide the inter-se priority among the departmental objectives, the scheme outlined.
After six months, the achievements of each ministry or department was to be reviewed by a Committee on government performance and the goals reset, taking into account the priorities at that point of time.
At the end of the year, all ministries or departments would review and prepare a report listing the achievements and the report expected to be finalised by May 1, each year, as per the PMES scheme.
As per the official records, till date, results for 2009-10, 2010-2011, 2011-12 and 2012-13 and RFD for 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 had been approved by the high-powered committee on government performance.