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During
this past year, Patheya analyzed the budgets of 21 different departments
in the state of Gujarat; each analysis was followed by a 1-6 page write
up of our demands within the department. |
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Patheya,
which means ìfood for the journey,î was started out of concern
for the broader question of development. Disha began to consider the tribal
region as a separate and distinct area, one which required recognition
of its uniqueness. Developing the agriculture and forest cultivation where
tribals and other poor communities live have a beneficial impact on the
people themselves. Disha was interested in shaping this development by
bringing the state budget into the public domain. Thus, Disha began to
analyze the Gujarat budget to explore the allocation of monies to tribal
communities. |
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Patheya’s budget analysis reached 165 MLAs, 140 NGOs, 60 journalists, and 26 prominent academics. Now MLAs and others approach us for budget information. | |||
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The
Gujarat budget contains a ìTribal Sub-plan,î which is the
focus of Pathey. Once the budget is presented to the Gujarat Legislative
Assembly, Pathey analyzes it by asking whether: 1. the Finance minister
consider the needs of the poor in his speech and do the budget allocations
match such; 2. the allocations are sufficient to sustain current pro-poor
development programs; and 3. the budget relates to the socioeconomic reality
of the poor in Gujarat. The Disha team shares its analysis with the press,
as long as with members of the Legislative Assembly. The report includes
sectoral briefs and financial analysis with their political implications.
These findings are also shared with other organizations, including NGOs,
academic institutions, and media formations. Patheya therefore collects,
analyzes and redistributes information. Its activities have inspired organizations
in other states to analyze governmental budgets. |
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Patheya’s
capacity building programs prepare various NGO activits and workers as
well as elected panchayat representatives in budget analysis and good
governance. |
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The
impact of Patheya is on many fronts. The most superficial effect of Patheya
is that the accuracy of the mathematical calculations used in the budget
is now improved and far fewer errors are found than those in the first
year of analysis. The MLAs are now better informed when approving of the
budget, thus enhancing the quality of the debate prior to approval. The
process-oriented improvements have translated into real results for the
people. Patheyaís work an important factor in making higher government
allocations to forestry, education, helath, agriculture, labour, roads,
and water. Patheyaís vigilance has made all those involved in the
budget process more careful. Perhaps the most important outcome of Patheyaís
budgetary analysis is the resulting promotion of critical citizenry ñ
by giving the tools to analyze the budget to the disenfranchised, the
Patheya initiative has empowered citizens to act as watchdogs of the government. |
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viewed in 800 x 600. Copyrights © 2005 Disha - Gujarat, India. |
