Delhi Cabinet gives nod to revamp govt policies

NEW DELHI: Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposal of finance and planning department to revamp and strengthen the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) unit, to ensure effective design, development and implementation of government Policies.

The Cabinet meeting was chaired by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The decision acknowledges the fact that advances in analytical tools and techniques related to Monitoring and Evaluation in the last decade combined with an increasing complexity and diversity of schemes warrant a scientific, evidence-based approach to policy making.

"The newly created Monitoring and Evaluation Unit will create a government-wide road-map for effective use of modern Monitoring and Evaluation tools and techniques in Government of Delhi for improved policy making and better delivery of public services," said PWD Minister Satyender Jain.

Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Manish Sisodia said, "It is under the present government that such a bold vision for strengthening and modernising the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) functions of the Planning Department has been first articulated, and tangible actions towards the same initiated in the form of a comprehensive Outcome Budget for 2017-18. This is because our government believes in the fundamental value of data-driven policymaking and the role scientific surveys and evaluations can play in helping elected governments better deliver public services to citizens and with the highest cost-effectiveness."

"Besides guiding Outcome Budgeting, it will help Government of Delhi to conduct independent surveys and evaluations, enable data analysis and assessment of large government data sets. The unit will also lay a road -map for Delhi government to join the open data movement by making large government datasets open to citizens and researchers," Sisodia added.

In March 2017, the Delhi government became India's first state government to release a comprehensive Outcome Budget which links all its major schemes and programmes with tangible Output and Outcome indicators, and establishes annual targets for each.

"In October 2017, the Delhi government also become the first state government to announce Rs 5 Crore "Policy Impact Fund" dedicated to using scientific methods to determine the impact of government schemes and policies," said Sisodia.