Finance Ministry seeks central sponsored schemes evaluation prior to Budget

By Anjana Das

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) The Finance Ministry has asked all ministries to report evaluation of Central Sector schemes under them in an effort to decide on funds allocations and requirement of improvements in them prior to the Budget.

The Department of Expenditure has sought details on those schemes on budgetary allocation and expenditure pattern in the past five years, coverage of beneficiaries, implementation mechanism, asset, service creation and its maintenance.

The government launches several schemes for the welfare of people -- depending on the status and performance of the existing scehmes, in the Budget some new schemes are added or some modifications are carried out.

In a communication to financial advisors of all ministries, a DoE office memorandum said: "The gaps in achievements of outcomes, key bottlenecks and challenges, vision for the future and recommendations for the scheme with reasons" are to be part of submission.

"Outcome indicators as proposed prepared by NITI Aayog may be considered," it said.

The Department seeks to know the summary of past evaluations including recommendations made accepted or not accepted.

"It is essential to highlight the importance of recommendations made for the scheme. The evaluation agency may provide recommendation for the scheme in any of the categories -- Continue in existing form; Continue with some Modifications (suggest modifications); Scale up the scheme (Financial/Physical/both); Scale down the scheme (Financial/ Physical/ both); Close; and Merge with another scheme as sub-scheme/component.

Central Sector Schemes are the schemes that are entirely and directly funded and executed by the central government. The schemes are formulated by the Centre, based on subjects from the Union List.

Central Sector Schemes include Bharatnet, Namami Gange-National Ganga Plan, LPG connection to poor households, Crop Insurance Scheme, recapitalisation of public sector banks, family welfare schemes, labour welfare schemes, National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme, National Scheme for Incentive to Girl Child for Secondary Education, interest subsidy for short term credit to farmers, MRTS and metro projects, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and other credit guarantee funds.