Abstract

Budgeting is intimately linked with the way transactions are classified. The chart of accounts used to classify budget and expenditure has similarly not kept pace with the changing needs of the times. For an efficient public expenditure management, the accounts need to be computerized in such a way that they provide useful information in real time to managers of public funds. While accounts at both the union and state have been computerized, the software systems are fragmented and, are therefore, suboptimal. Only lately has there been some attempt at integrating the different systems into an Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).

The Seminar jointly organized by Centre for Budget and Policy Studies (CBPS), National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) and the World Bank on ‘Enhancing Performance through Improved Budgeting’ attempted to look at the above issues, and more. The seminar was attended by officers from Finance and Planning departments of 16 States and from Ministry of Finance and other departments of Government of India.

The Agenda for seminar included a mix of international presenters and public financial management practitioners from India. A notable feature of the Seminar was the support extended by Expenditure Management Commission. While the Seminar began with a key note address by Mr Sumit Bose, Member, EMC, Mr Subir Gokarn, Member, EMC chaired the first Technical Session and Mr. Vijay Singh, Adviser, EMC participated as a panellist in discussion on key takeaways at the end of the first day’s deliberations.