2002 Budget Analysis as Social Audit.p65

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BudgetAnalysisasSocialAuditTAMILNADU PEOPLES’ FORUM FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTFor copies and further correspondence, contactManu Alphonse,Co convener, TNPFSDFlat 202, Chitra Avenue, Shopping Inn9, Choolaimedu High Road,Chennai 600 094.INDIAPh : 0091 44 23746044Fax : [phone]Email : [e-mail]LAUDITTAMILNADU EXPERIENCES1995 2002TAMILNADU PEOPLES’ FORUM FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTTABLE OF CONTENTS1. Introduction...........................................................................................12. Tamilnadu – A State of Social Contradictions ....................................33. Tamilnadu Peoples’ Forum for Social Development (TNPFSD) ........64. Budget Analysis and Policy Priority Cell ...........................................105. Budget Critiques ................................................................................146. Sectoral Critiques...............................................................................227. Pre Budget Lobbying.........................................................................308. Legislative Advocacy349. Democratising Budgetary Information ...............................................3610. Budget Analysis Capacity Building...................................................3811. National / International Networking42Annexure : Budgeting in Tamilnadu – A Backgrounder ....................44BUDGET ANALYSIS AS SOCIAL AUDIT1IntroductionOver the last ...

Informations

• Publié par: Ensoo
• Nombre de lectures: 46
• Langue: English

Extrait

Budget

Analysis

as

Social

Audit

TAMILNADU PEOPLES’ FORUM FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

For copies and further correspondence, contact

Manu Alphonse, Co-convener, TNPFSD

Flat 202, Chitra Avenue, Shopping Inn 9, Choolaimedu High Road, Chennai - 600 094. INDIA Ph : 0091-44-23746044 Fax : [phone] Email : [e-mail]

BUDGET

ANALYSIS

AS

SOCIAL

AUDIT

TAMILNADU EXPERIENCES 1995 - 2002

TAMILNADU PEOPLES’ FORUM FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ........................................................................................... 1

Tamilnadu – A State of Social Contradictions .................................... 3

Tamilnadu Peoples’ Forum for Social Development (TNPFSD) ........ 6

Budget Analysis and Policy Priority Cell ........................................... 10

Budget Critiques ................................................................................ 14

Sectoral Critiques ............................................................................... 22

Pre-Budget Lobbying ......................................................................... 30

Legislative Advocacy ......................................................................... 34

Democratising Budgetary Information ............................................... 36

Budget Analysis Capacity Building ................................................... 38

National / International Networking ................................................... 42

Annexure : Budgeting in Tamilnadu – A Backgrounder.................... 44

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Introduction

Over the last 7 years (1995-2002), the Tamilnadu People’s Forum for Social development has established itself asthe premier Budget Analysis group in the State of Tamilnadu as can be seen from responses from civil society, – bureaucrats and policy makers as well as the media and even national and international agencies.

The Forum is a founder member of the national initiative,Peoples BIAS ’ (Budgetary Information and Analysis Services), consisting of budget analysis and advocacy groups in India. And the Forum is the sole representative of all such initiatives in Tamilnadu.

The International Budget Project of theCentre for Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington Forumhas identified the as one of the 7 major initiatives in India involved in serious budget analysis and policy efforts. Our major research a r t i c l e s a n d p u bl i c a t i o n s a r e r e g u l a r l y p o s t e d i n t h e i r w e b - s i t e www.internationalbudget.org

What have been the experiences and lessons learned over the last 7 years? What have been the achievements, the limitations? And what are the pointers for the future?

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The present Dossier attempts to sum up the experiences of the Forum in “Budget Analysis as Social Audit” from the perspectives of

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Our critique of Social Development in Tamilnadu

Links between Budget Analysis and Social Development

Budget Analysis as part of social monitoring

Budget Analysis as a tool for Social Policy advocacy

The various interventions of the Forum in Tamilnadu’s Socio-political scenario, during the years 1995-2002

The Dossier contains also OHP sheets on Budget Analysis (exhibited on the left hand pages of the dossier), which the Forum has developed and extensively used.

Many thanks to the members of the Forum, who have been of great support to the works of the Secretariate all these years. And a special appreciation for the staff at the secretrariate:John Kumar, Marimuthu(part-time), Stella, Arumugam, Hema, Babu and Paulraj.

Chennai. December 2002

MANU ALPHONSE  (Co-convener, TNPFSD)

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Tamilnadu – A State of Social Contradictions

Tamilnadu, the Southern State of India, with its over Since 1991, Tamilnadu has been among the 60 million population, is among the relatively more front-line States, set on course for the onslaught urbanised and industrialised States of India, with a of unfettered globali relatively well-developed infrastructure. Factors such as a noitas rpteen tevari pnd rise. The liberail a progressive reduction in birth rate, abundant skilled d ane S th uctrratudA ltsujtnem asitnop loci y manpower, relatively better performance in education dyealr gorPe (irammducentro 9119i d  neva  )ah and health among the States of India etc. have resulted in explicit cuts in Govt investment in c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e o v e r a l l e c o n o m i c a n d s o c i a l  s f o c i a l ak e y o r e a s sector and have been development of the State. r e f l e c t e d i n s t e e p increase in the existing s o c i o - e c o n o m i c However, the social development scene in Tamilnadu ies alitnequi tin St he e.at is riddled with many contradictions and negative factors. Development has been very uneven regionally within Tamilnadu. And, more important, the benefits of development have been very unevenly distributed. This, added to the already highly skewed distribution of landholding and assets, has assured that inequality levels have increased over the years. Poverty levels, both in urban and rural areas, have been, for long, higher than the all-India averages and only recently have they reached national average levels. The rural- urban disparities too have increased.

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The impressive statistics put out by the Tamilnadu government to boast about its performance in the social sector are often misleading. These impressive indicators mask the relative and absolute deprivation of a vast section of people, especially dalits, tribals, traditional fisherfolk, unorganised labour and vast sections of women and children.

On top of it all, since 1991, Tamilnadu has been among the front-line States, set on course for the onslaught of unfettered globalisation and private enterprise. The liberalisation policy and the Structural Adjustment Programme (introduced in 1991) have already resulted in explicit cuts in Govt investment in key areas of social sector and have been reflected in steep increase in the existing socio- economic inequalities in the State.

Hence, the need for an ongoing process of monitoring Govt policies and priorities in the field of social development, from the point of view of the relatively weaker sections of the Tamilnadu population, becomes urgent and crucial.

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Tamilnadu Peoples’ Forum for Social Development (TNPFSD)

T h e Ta m i l n a d u Pe o p l e s ’ Fo r u m fo r S o c i a l ... a group of friends , Development (TNPFSD) was born in the context of the vlovni gnol opelev e d thn  ied feno s ecemtn Global Summit on Social Development at Copenhagen eromaht tego reh10n 0 Tmaght t broudu, ilna in March 1995. persons - academics, g r a s s r o o t s a c t i v i s t s and representatives of ’ s o c i a l o v e m e n t s , m A p a ra l l e l S o c i a l“ Pe o p l e s S u m m i t o n trade unions, women Development in Tamilnadu”at Chennai, initiated by a and dalit organisations, consumer, environment group of friends, long involved in the development scene and human rihgst dnr groups aesearch of Tamilnadu, brought together more than 100 persons - institutions, as well as NGOs of varied types. academics, grassroots activists and representatives of social movements, trade unions, women and dalit organisations, consumer, environment and human rights groups and research institutions, as well as NGOs of varied types. The participants looked deep into the various dimensions of social development in Tamilnadu - of dalits, women, fisherfolk, children, disabled, refugees... as well as on themes such as Health, Education, Environment, Human Rights and Consumer protection.

The more-than expected positive response to the parallel summit enthused the organisers into visualising an ongoing “Forum”. Thus was born the Tamilnadu

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Peoples’ Forum for Social development. Since then, the Forum has been intervening as and when required in the field of Social Development in Tamilnadu.

Among the significant contributions of the Forum over the years are :

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“  & a j Pa n R n ch aya t G O D e cl a r a t i o n oT h e Ta m i l n a d u N Decentralised Democracy, 1995”,r   eleased at a State-level Conven- tion of NGOs in November 1995.

“The Tamilnadu Peoples Manifesto, 1996”,the Forum’s “Alterna-’ tive Programme for Sustainable Development, Democratic and Decentralised Policy and the Right to Livelihood in Tamilnadu”, in- volving over 500 individuals and organisations over a period of 6 months, released in May 1996.

’ “Peoples Manifesto Vs Party Manifestos (Indian Lok Sabha Elec- tions – 1999)” –A   critical appraisal of 6 national and 6 regional par- ties’ manifestos vis-à-vis the genuine needs of masses (as expressed in the Forum’s Tamilnadu People’s Manifesto), providing concrete study material for political party analysis.

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“Tamilnadu Social Development Report 2000” –A professional resume of the overall social development scene in Tamilnadu, with updated information from Government, private research and grassroots. . t otehkode st ol pnid ee e pa..thipanrtic various dimensions of ’ ocial development in “Tamilnadu Peoples Charter Against Glo- s Tamilnadu - of dalits, bal and Fascist Dominations, 2001” – An  i s h e r f o l k , fw o m e n , c h i l d r e n , d i s a b l e d , E l e c t i o n S t a t e m e n t s i g n e d b y 3 0 m a j o r refugees... as well as on themes such as p e o p l e ’s m o ve m e n t s a n d n e t w o r k s i n  d u c a t i o n , EH e a l t h , Environment, Human Tamilnadu, at the initiative of the Forum, dur- Rights and Consumer protection. ing Elections 2001, providing a bench-mark for any for thcoming anti-globalisation-Fascism alliance in the State.

“White Papers & Black Truths, 2002”– An in-depth look at financial trends and processes in Tamilnadu, over one year, from the viewpoints of accountability, transparency and good governance, in 2002, creat- ing waves among legislators and policy makers.