How transparent is budget making process?
VOL 18 NO 276 REGD NO DA 1589 | Dhaka, Saturday March 6 2010
How transparent is budget making process?
M S Siddiqui
The budget reflects the vision and mission of incumbent government. The government leaders usually try to fulfil election pledges through the budget. The budget incorporates the government's plan to collect resources and use the same to meet the public's needs.
The people have every right to know about the income and expenditure of the government. The openness and transparency of a budget help them to judge whether the taxpayers money is being used properly.
While providing the public with comprehensive and timely information about the government's budget and financial activities and opportunities to participate in the decision making can strengthen oversight and improve policy choices. Keeping such processes closed would leave on opposite effect. Restricting access to information creates opportunities for governments to hide unpopular, wasteful, and corrupt spending, ultimately reducing the resources available to fight poverty.
It is the responsibility of a government to provide comprehensive and timely information about the budgetary and financial activities. The creation of a congenial atmosphere for all stakeholders to participate in decision making is a demand of the time.
The preparation of our national budget is a highly centralised. Participatory budgeting through which citizens deliberate and negotiate over distribution of resources is almost absent. The participatory budgeting includes a process where local governments have a say in the matters of regional income and expenditure. The finance minister during presentation of budget for the fiscal 2009-10 also mentioned about it. Such involvement also strengthens accountability, transparency ofthe government.
Usually, the national budget every year triggers strong and widespread debates and speculations because of the opaque budget preparation process.
How transparent is budget making process?
M S Siddiqui
The budget reflects the vision and mission of incumbent government. The government leaders usually try to fulfil election pledges through the budget. The budget incorporates the government's plan to collect resources and use the same to meet the public's needs.
The people have every right to know about the income and expenditure of the government. The openness and transparency of a budget help them to judge whether the taxpayers money is being used properly.
While providing the public with comprehensive and timely information about the government's budget and financial activities and opportunities to participate in the decision making can strengthen oversight and improve policy choices. Keeping such processes closed would leave on opposite effect. Restricting access to information creates opportunities for governments to hide unpopular, wasteful, and corrupt spending, ultimately reducing the resources available to fight poverty.
It is the responsibility of a government to provide comprehensive and timely information about the budgetary and financial activities. The creation of a congenial atmosphere for all stakeholders to participate in decision making is a demand of the time.
The preparation of our national budget is a highly centralised. Participatory budgeting through which citizens deliberate and negotiate over distribution of resources is almost absent. The participatory budgeting includes a process where local governments have a say in the matters of regional income and expenditure. The finance minister during presentation of budget for the fiscal 2009-10 also mentioned about it. Such involvement also strengthens accountability, transparency ofthe government.
Usually, the national budget every year triggers strong and widespread debates and speculations because of the opaque budget preparation process.