7th CPA conference
LUCKNOW, 17: “Capacity building of legislators for scrutinizing budgetary proposals is vital as budget is the most important economic policy tool of a government,” Arunachal Legislative Assembly Speaker PD Sona said in his address at the 7th conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) here in UP on Friday.
“The vast majority of democratic constitutions require appropriations and taxation measures to be approved by the legislators in order to become effective. To fulfill this requirement, capacity building of the legislators for scrutinizing budgetary proposal is eminently required,” said Sona.
He said the parliament and the state assemblies must ensure that the revenue and spending measures they authorize are fiscally sound, match the needs of the population with available resources, and are implemented properly and efficiently.
“It is the duty of the government to reveal, explain and justify its policies and financial proposals. In turn, legislators may ask questions, clarifications, or may disapprove of the financial proposals through various parliamentary devices. The executive cannot have any hidden financial agenda. It constantly faces parliamentary scrutiny,” Sona said.
He said that in order to participate effectively in this process “the legislators need to be equipped with requisite informational knowledge and skill, besides supportive institutional and procedural mechanisms.”
Deputy Speaker Tesam Pongte is also participating in the conference. (Speaker’s PR Cell)
