In order to understand why the Union Budget 2021-22 is being termed as ‘transparent’, it has to be read simultaneously with the 15th Finance Commission Main Report for 2021-26. But first, let us discuss 'fertilizer subsidy'. The budget documents for Union Budget 2021-22 show that the spending on ‘fertilizer subsidy’ was slashed from Rs. 1,33,947 crore in 2020-21 (revised estimate) to Rs. 79,530 crore in 2021-22 (budget estimate). However, the budgetary...
More »SEARCH RESULT
Constructive critique is our role, says CAG -Rajeev Jayaswal and Neeraj Chauhan
-Hindustan Times CAG reports in the past have been questioned by critics, for instance its estimate that the 2007-2008 allocation of 2G spectrum had caused a notional loss to the exchequer of ₹1.76 lakh crore, and that the allotment of coal blocks had caused a similar loss of ₹1.86 lakh crore. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), Girish Chandra Murmu, says the government auditor is adopting a policy of “constructive...
More »Why Haven't All Vacancies in Central Information Commission Been Filled: RTI Activists
-TheWire.in Despite 37,000 cases pending before the panel, three vacancies would still remain after the recent round of appointments. New Delhi: Two of the petitioners who have appealed to the Supreme Court against the delay in the appointment of information commissioners have hailed the appointment of as the chief information commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC). Stating that the appointment of Sinha, who was administered the oath of office by President Ram Nath...
More »Govt set to name CIC, two ICs, despite Opp dissent note -Manoj CG and Shyamlal Yadav
-The Indian Express The Government is also learnt to have finalized the name of Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General Saroj Punhani for the post of Information Commissioner. New Delhi: The Government is set to appoint former Indian Foreign Service officer and Information Commissioner Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha as the new Chief Information Commissioner and journalist Uday Mahurkar as an Information Commissioner despite strong objections from Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, the Opposition member in the...
More »Federalism, now a partisan internal dialogue -Sukumar Muralidharan
-The Hindu India could be living through a reprise of the ‘Congress system’, but with significant differences in the BJP’s re-enactment At the first signs of stress, the grand vision of a nation unified in a singular system of taxation, was supplanted by a policy of every-state-for-itself. Just over three years ago, the introduction of a unified “goods and services tax” (GST) was heralded by a midnight session of Parliament, a theatrical...
More »