'Govt fails to devise mechanism to fix budgetary deficiencies'

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has failed to devise any effective mechanism to identify and overcome deficiencies in existing system of budgetary planning and control, a Parliamentary panel said today.
"... Despite their repeated recommendations the ministry has failed to devise any effective mechanism to identify and overcome deficiencies in existing system of budgetary planning and control," the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance said in its report on the Ministry of Statistics and Prgoramme Implementation, which was tabled in Parliament today.
It noted, "On one hand there is spurt in budgetary allocations under certain heads and on the other hand gross underutilisation of funds has been noticed under the flagship schemes such as Indian Statistical Strengthening Project which is considered crucial for functioning of the ministry.

The panel regretted the ministry has not taken with due seriousness its suggestion on prudent budgetary management.
It hoped the under-utilisation of funds would become a rare phenomenon in future.
The panel also said there is no concrete plan on the part of the ministry to fill the whopping 1,675 vacancies which exist.

The committee asked the ministry to complete consultations with Staff Selection Commission regarding vacancies in Indian Statistical Service cadre and start the process of recruitment.
The target of the ministry should be to fill at least 50 per cent of the vacancies across all cadres within this year and rest of the post be filled in time bound manner, it said.

The panel also said that "efforts should be made to reduce the time lag in the release of annual report of Twenty Point Programme (TPP) and asked ministry bring it out at the end of each financial year so that the purpose of the report is well served.
It noted that ministry comes out with a report on TPP every year and as of now the report for 2011-12 has been released and the report for 2012-13 is under print.