Ahead of the state budget session, pre-budget consultative meetings with community-based and other organizations is a welcome step on the part of the state government.
It is a good omen that the state government has, indirectly, allowed the voters, through the NGOs, to play a significant role with their valuable suggestions in consultative meetings, in successfully implementing welfare schemes, besides maintaining law and order in the state. Such meetings not only help promote communication between the people and their government, they promote a sense of responsibility among the people towards good governance also.
During his first pre-budget consultative meeting with NGOs and community-based organizations (CBOs) on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein disclosed that efforts are on to involve all the stakeholders in the development process. He assured that the suggestions placed by the NGOs and the CBOs would be incorporated in the State Budget 2020-21, if found feasible. Such pre-budget consultative meetings will continue to pave the way for the common citizens to be part of the budget process.
During Monday’s pre-budget consultations, the Arunachal Pradesh State Commission for Women (APSCW) suggested allotting a separate head of account for the commission, which is now receiving grant-in-aid from its nodal department – the women & child development department. This is a genuine suggestion as the quasi-judicial body needs financial autonomy for its smooth functioning as well as implementation of various welfare programmes for women and girl children. It is hoped that the government will also pay heed to the other demands of the commission, such as provision of soft loans for unemployed women for their economic empowerment and establishment of a women development corporation, especially for the benefit of women SHGs and entrepreneurs, and the suggestion for effective steps to curb the drug and opium menace among the youths.