AAP govt will table ‘outcome’ budget this year

Marking a departure from the existing budget practices, the Aam Aadmi Party government will present a budget with quantifiable indicators for each sector along with the allocations. For this, a comprehensive outcome budgeting exercise has been carried out for the first time by each department and the agency wherein all major programmes and schemes have been mapped against outputs.

For example, under the Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics scheme, the total financial outlay for 201718 will be accompanied by output indicators measuring total number of new Mohalla Clinics that will be launched, number of medical and para-medical staff to be deployed, and number of free medicines and tests that will be made available.

The outcome indicators will track actual number of patients availing these services, as well as satisfaction score on a scale of 1 to 5. Similarly, under the mid-day meal scheme offered in government schools, indicators have been defined to measure not only the total number of schools and children

A comprehensive outcome budgeting exercise has been carried out for the first time by each department availing of mid-day meal scheme, but also the perentage of children who are underweight in schools and their attendance.

“The final outcome budget for 2017-18 will be presented in the budget session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly next week, along with the financial budget,” an official statement said.

Speaking at a review meeting of all heads of departments, which was attended by the finance secretary and the chief secretary, the deputy chief minister of Delhi & finance minister Manish Sisodia said, “A traditional budget emphasises only financial outlays and spending on various activities, but stops short of promising outcomes that citizens eventually care about. This outcome budget will constitute a contract between the Delhi government, and therefore each department official of the Delhi government, and the people of Delhi.”