CHENNAI : State government departments have been asked to list schemes wherein the Union government approval is communicated in the last month of the financial year with no commitment from the State exchequer.
It is learnt that the schemes will be brought to the notice of the Assembly by inclusion in an appendix to the budget memorandum of 2019-2020 budget.
Sources said the finance department had issued a circular which stated that based on recommendations such schemes will be included in Appendix XVI to the appendices to the budget memorandum.
Appendix-XVI gives the list of schemes receiving financial assistance from Government of India or other autonomous bodies or institutions etc., which need not be treated as “New Service”.
The State Public Accounts Committee, while examining the criteria of “New Service” expenditure, recommended that the schemes already approved by the legislature need not be treated as “New Service” schemes even if the expenditure is subsequently expected to exceed appreciably the sum originally intimated to the legislature, but that information regarding large variations should be given in the Budget Memorandum.
This also comes as the Tamil Nadu government is working on finalising the revised estimates (RE) for 2018-19 and budget estimates for 2019-20 and has sought budget proposals from heads of departments. Official sources said the finance department is conducting decentralised budget meetings with heads of departments and this will last till November 12.