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Quarterly Progress Report for the quarter ending June, 2005
The progress made under the Assam Governance Public Resource Management Program till June,2005 may be summarised as below:
PROGRAM:
GoA has fulfilled the following Tranche1 and Incentive Tranche Conditions viz.
a) MTFP and Fiscal Resposibility Bill:
The FRMBA has been enacted vide Assam Gazette Notification No.LGL.59/2005/13 dated 17th May,2005.The MTFP for fiscal year 2006 has been approved in consultation with the ADB.
b) Fiscal Management Unit:
The FMU has been established in the Finance Department consisting of five cells(revenue reform cell, debt management cell, budget reform cell, expenditure reform cell and pension reform cell) vide Notification No. FEA 106/2004/49 dated 8-11-2004.Different Cells have also been notified vide FEA/2004/32 dated 10-11-2004.
c) Time Bound action plan:
The FMU draft time bound action plan has been prepared and submitted to the different cells for approval.
d) Revenue Administration:
Revenue policy guidelines for additional tax efforts has been issued by the ASG vide FEA106/04/51 dated 8-11-2004.
GoA's intention to establish composite checkposts has been announced in the budget speech. Land has been acquired for this purpose and PWD has submitted cost estimate for the same. The draft notification has been prepared and submitted to the Cabinet for approval.
e) Sales Tax policy:
VAT regime has been given effect to from 1st May,2005 vide the Assam Gazette Notification No.FTX.55/2005/2 dated the 28th April,2005.
f) Agriculture Income Tax:
The Assam Agriculture Income Tax has been amended vide The Assam Agricultural Income Tax(Amendment) Act,2004 notification no.LGL.22/2002/97 dated 9th September,2004.
g) State Excise policy:
Draft amendments to the existing Excise Act in terms of converting specific excise duties on IMFL into an advalorem levy have been prepared and submitted to Cabinet for approval.
h) Stamp Duties and Registration Fees Policy:
Amendment of Stamp duties has been done vide Assam Gazette Notification No.LGL.33/2003/7 dated 17th September,2004.
i) User Fees: High level committees viz. a committee on “health user charges, a committee on education fees””, a committee on “”water user charges”, a committee on “transport user charges” have been setup by the ASG for strategic review of user fees vide FEA 106/2004/52-53-54 & 55 all dated 10/11/2004.
j) Restructure State Debt:
Debt settlement of high interest instiutional loans(and Guarantees given to PSEs)has been undertaken.The State Government has been liquidating high cost Govt.Guaranteed loans under OTS.ASG has already undertaken (i) debt swaps/settlements of Rs.72.22 crores with a no.of financial institutions (HUDCO,IDBI,SBI,UBI,CANARA BANK) for high interest loans above 10% and (ii)one time settlement of PSEs for Rs.36.98 crores including the 2 PSEs scheduled for closure under the program.So far as introducing an enhanced debt management and data collection system is concerned,there is one existing inventory of debt and guarantees in the budget cell. The process of review is on and its computerization will subsequently be taken up.
j) Contain State pension liabilities:
GoA has introduced new pension rules for State Government employees, who will join State Govt.service after 1st February,2005 in line with the contributory pension scheme of GoI. It has been proposed to participate in the new pension policy of the GoI without resorting to pension fund management etc at state level in order to avoid hassles.The time bound action plan for the estimation of all pension liabilities has already been drafted and placed for approval.
k) Reform of Public Sector Enterprises:
SRF:
A decision has to be taken whether SRF will be developed and approved by the Finance Department,Public Investment Board or the Standing Committee on PSE reforms.
SSN Program:
Basic guidelines of SSN Program have been issued vide letter No.FEA.106/2004/56 dated 10th Nov'04.
ASEB Terminal Benefits:
The necessary budget provision for ASEB terminal benefit liabilities.A total of Rs.44.10 has till date been disbursed.
l) Public Administration Review:
AARC is taking steps on PA rationalization policy.The ERC has been mandated to undertake public expenditure tracking surveys of selected ASG departments.
The Assam Administrative Reforms Commission has been mandated vide FEA 106/2004/57 dated 10-11-2004 to build on its functional reviews for selected ASG departments and its review of the functioning of the Vigilance Commissioner,Directorate of Anti corruption and other existing vigilance mechanisms to enhance their effectiveness for prevention and investigation of corruption.
A complete digitised staff inventory for identified departments is already under process.
PROJECT:
The invitation for co-ordination consultant firm prequalification for the project was posted on 15th February,2005.GoA has till date received 4 EoIs from international as well as domestic consulting firms.The GoA in consultation with ADB will finalise the terms of reference and selection criiteria for short-listing consulting firms and evaluating proposals.
Public Finance Information Technology:
The invitation for prequalification for procurement of the IGFMIS was posted on 22nd February2005 and, till date,GoA has received 12 EOIs from consortiums of international as well as domestic vendors.
An EOI Evaluation and Bid Management Committee has been formed to evaluate and short list EOI for IGFMIS and Advance action for the procurement of coordination consultant.
Training:
GoA had a preliminary discussion with NIPFP to conduct tailored training for GoA officials on Subprogram1 related issues with first priority to be accorded to FMU staff.GoA and NIPFP would soon decide on a mutually convenient time and course content.
Public Awareness:
The Assam Development Forum(ADF) tentatively scheduled during the 4th Quarter of 2005 will have to be developed.A list of stakeholders and potential participants from GoI,GoA and experts would have to be prepared with administrative support from coordination consultants for content of the ADF program.
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