Maharashtra minister seeks impact assessment reports over new schemes

Mumbai: Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar has asked all departments to submit detail assessment reports over the impact that any new scheme would have on society along with its draft proposal.

If the departments fail to submit the report, the Finance department would reject the proposals, he said. Meanwhile, bureaucrats are disappointed over direct orders from the finance minister instead of being briefed by their concerned ministers.

The Finance Minister has, in his letter dated October 28, directed Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of all departments to submit details of the social impact of new proposals before sending it to the Finance department.

"I have asked secretaries to give details about new proposals. If the scheme has already been implemented and the department needs grant, they will have to submit the assessment of the scheme and state if there is there any lacunae in the scheme," Mungantiwar said.

He further said that the ministry would need to know what the social impact would be on introducing a new scheme.

"We have to use money which is collected from the pocket of tax payers and hence every rupee should be utilised on proper schemes in a systematic way,? he said.

"I have also asked bureaucrats that they should be careful about proposed schemes to avoid its duplication,” says Mungantiwar.

Mungantiwar said adding that in case a department already has a scheme in place which is similar to the one proposed, the ministry should consider if both the schemes could be merged.

The letter issued by the Finance minister stated that because of incomplete proposals, the Finance department had taken a dim view towards such schemes.

"Despite repeated warnings, if incomplete proposals are submitted to Finance department, it will be brought to the notice of the Chief Secretary," the letter stated.

When asked to comment on bureaucratic disapproval, Mungantiwar said, ?It is the duty of Secretaries to suggest and draft new schemes. They are being paid for that, otherwise, we can recruit any Class-10 pass person as a Secretary."

One of the bureaucrats requesting anonymity said that according to tradition, the Finance Minister has to communicate with the concerned minister first.

Let my minister issue me the instructions only then will I follow it, he said.

We secretaries are not very impressed with Mugantiwar’s style of sending the letter directly to us, he said.