India scores 52 percent on Open Budget Index
Tuesday, 12 December 2006, 18:30 IST
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New Delhi: India has been ranked 17 among 59 countries on the Open Budget Index 2006 that evaluates the information the central government provides to citizens on the fiscal budget and other financial activities. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a US-based non-profit organization, has been preparing the index annually since 1997 as part of its International Budget Project. The Center for Budget and Governance Accountability, which partnered the research in India, released the new report card here Tuesday evening. It gives India an overall 52 percent score for providing citizens "some" information. Among the countries at the top of the ranking are France, Britain, New Zealand and South Africa with over 85 percent scores for their extensive reporting to citizens. The break-up of scores shows that India has received 55 percent for executive budget proposals, zero for pre-budget proposals, 81 percent for in-year reports on execution, 50 percent for mid-year review, 37 percent for end-year report and 83 percent for auditor's report. "The executive's budget proposal is one of the most important documents released during the budget year," the report states. "India's (budget) proposal provides some information to the public, scoring 55 percent out of a possible 100 percent of the information needed to present the public with a comprehensive picture of the government's financial activity." The global think tank has stressed that citizens require both access to information and opportunities during the consideration of the budget to use that information to ensure their informed participation in budget debates. "India's score on the Open Budget Index suggests that the public's access to information could be improved. The researchers also found that opportunities for citizen participation could be increased," the report states. It has stressed the need for the government to regularly brief citizens on the spending, revenue collection and borrowings with in-year reports. A more comprehensive mid-year review has also been urged with updates on what can be expected in the second half of the budget year. "India provides extensive information in its in-year reports, but it would greatly strengthen public accountability by publishing a more comprehensive mid-year review," the report card states. It has also faulted the government for its "yearend" report, stating that it is "not released in a timely manner but contains details needed to facilitate comparisons between enacted levels and actual outcomes". The report card is also critical of the fact that "while India does make its audit report public, it provides very limited information on whether the audit report's recommendations are successfully implemented".
Source: IANS
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