Saluting the Reform Architect : Arun Jaitleyji

RIP :  Shri Arun Jaitleyji

Today’s newspapers carry millions of words describing a slew of ECONOMIC REFORMS that Shri Jaitley initiated during past 5 years

Frequently mentioned among dozens of these reforms , are :

#   GST

#   NPA resolution mechanism

Without doubt, these are important achievements which will change the rules of governance

But , without exception, the editors and expert authors / writers, missed out his greatest reform, viz :

“ Starting 2017 , introduction of OUTPUT BUDGET “

Here is the genesis :

#   Immediately after NDA govt assumed office in May 2014 ( but before presentation of its

     fist budget in Feb 2015 ), I sent following email to Shri Jaitleyji,

     

    BUDGETING BY OBJECTIVES                           [  05  Dec  2014  ]

-          urging him to shift the budget emphasis from :

#  “ Expenditure Allocations “ for various Ministries and refocus on  actual / physical /

      measurable , ACHIEVEMENT TARGETS for each Ministry

      

#    “  Resource Inputs “  to  “ Physical Outputs “  ( Productivity of Inputs )

I followed this up in my following emails :

An Unprecedented Budget Reform                           [  09  Dec  2016  ]

Another {  Welcome   } First                                    [  01  Feb  2017  ]

With introduction of this OUTPUT BUDGET, Shri Jaitley succeeded in re-focussing the efforts / actions of all the Ministries, from :

#    Amount of budgeted / allocated money / funds , actually SPENT ( by year-end ) , to

#    Actual / Physical / Measurable TARGETS set at the beginning of the year, and achieved

      by year-end, as a “ MEASURE  OF  ACHIEVEMENT “

This was a reform in changing the :

#     ATTITUDE of the bureaucrats and Ministers

 

#     way to measure ACHIEVEMENTS

    

#     way to hold Ministers ACCOUNTABLE

#    way to measure the ministerial PERFORMANCE  through an ongoing SCORE CARD

#    deception of “ Shooting first and then drawing concentric circles around the hole “

#    culture of Opaqueness to Transparency of govt achievements

Some day when political / economic historians write the HISTORY of REFORMS undertaken by the NDA government, I have no doubt that this OUTPUT BUDGETING will top the list

Dear Departed Soul ,

You have carved out your name in the annals of India’s REFORM HISTORY  - for which , not only this but all the coming generations of Indians will remember you !

======================================================================

25  Aug  2019

Rsvp :  hcp@RecruitGuru.com