'Outcome versus outlay' Budget likely this month

The government proposes to come out for the for the first time with an "outcome versus outlay" budget shortly to present a review of project-wise allocation of funds and their performance.

Even as the date has not been finalised, sources said the budget may be presented by the end of this month. This will be the first instance of government accountability towards the public for its expenditure programme, sources said.

Earlier, during then finance minister Jaswant Singh, the government had presented a mid-term review of the budgetary announcement but it was a one-time act. This time, the government, in consultation with the planning commission, plans to make it a formal announcement in regular intervals. However, whether it will be a quarterly or biennial review is yet to be decided. The report is expected to present a project-wise performance of the government rather than making it a fiscal overview. The review is likely to present minute details of the undergoing projects projects.

Usually, individual states prepare a project-wise utilisation report for justifying budgetary allocation.

The Central government, on the other hand, discusses these details in its meetings with planning commission. As per the FRBM Act, the government has to periodically review the performance of projects where budgetary allocation has been made.

The government, however has deferred the FRBM Act for one year.

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The document will present a review of the project-wise allocation of funds and their performance

This will be the first instance of government accountability towards the public for its expenditure programme

The government, in consultation with the Planning Commission, plans to make it a formal announcement in regular intervals