The incorporation of ICT to improve the efficiency of public finance and the procurement system was the highlight of the Finance Ministry’s mid-term report today. Out of 16 key performance indicators for the programme’s sectoral key result area, 10 are on track and the rest at risk.
The programmes initiated by the Ministry include strengthening macroeconomic coordination, fiscal sustainability and public financial management.
As per the report the GDP growth rate which is likely to be at 2.3 per cent by the end of the plan, is at high risk of not achieving the target, set at 5 to 6 per cent.
Whereas, the mandatory indicator of public service delivery such as improving financial, procurement and internal audit management services were on track. As per the report, these increased the effectiveness and efficiency of public service delivery.
“As we venture into 21st century I think it is very important for us to improve the efficiency of the public financial services. We have introduced the e-PEMS system (electronic public expenditure management system). Everything is going electronic, it has been almost a year since we implemented it and it’s turning out to be very efficient across all the budgetary agencies,” said Namgay Tshering, the Finance Minister.
Besides the mid-term report, the APA and the budget report was also presented by the Ministry today. The common concern shared regarding the reports were the current procurement system, the overlapping responsibilities of the Finance Ministry with the Gross National Happiness Commission, and the shortcomings in the overall process of budgeting.
“Procurement cuts across all the budgetary agencies and in order to improve the efficiency of the government services to the public, I think procurement is the critical area where we need to really improve. For that purpose, we have also introduced EGP (electronic government procurement system). After the completion of this system, all the procurement processes will be held online. There is a lot of false perception and allegations of corrupt practices in the procurement system. With EGP, many things are going to be resolved,” Lyonpo added.
The Prime Minister also said the current midterm report was more of a treatment than management of the deficiencies, citing the importance of the measures to prevent the problem than to cure it. The relevant agencies were asked to take into account all the comments and recommendations deliberated today and work on the reports accordingly.
Yeshi Dorji
