Sleeping Watchdogs
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: July 06, 2012 -
In layman's term, budget is simply a financial document used for balancing one's income and expenses. And the simple logic of budgeting is that if you don't balance your expenses with your income and spend more than you make, then you would be in big trouble.
Likewise, the annual Budget of the government is a summary or plan of the intended revenues and expenditures of that government during a particular fiscal year. It is a legal document that is often passed by the legislature, and approved by the chief executive (President in case of Union Budget or Governor in case of State Budget).
Of course, the Budget gets clearance only after a heated discussion on its pros and cons, weaknesses and strengths, etc, to make the ruling party accountable for every act of commission or omission.
In short, budget is one of the most economic events in the country or the state, which outlines all the economic planning of the government of for coming year.
It is important not only for corporate houses and political bigwigs but also for individuals from all sections of the society.
That is why people remain glue to the TVs at the time of discussion of Union Budget in Parliament and the Opposition parties/leaders are in their animated most in trying to take the government to task or find loopholes in the Budget that could affect common people.
Unfortunately, this is a picture entirely missing during the discussion on the State Budget, 2011-2012 in the ongoing 2nd session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly on Assembly on July 4.
In a House of 60 members comprising 42 ruling MLAs and 18 Opposition MLAs, the discussion on an important issue like the State Budget was confined solely between Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and Opposition MLA Dr I Ibohalbi while the remaining members of the House, both from the Ruling as well as the Opposition, obliviously keeping mum from uttering anything.
What should we make out of this? Do we have to rest assure that the State Budget, 2011-2012 is perfect in every sense? To make the budget session more democratic and meaningful, it is the moral responsibility of the Opposition to inform the people about the flaws in the budget.
In other parts of the country, Opposition parties exert pressure on the Chairman of the House for extended discussion on the budget before giving approval for passing, but in case of Manipur, introduction, debate and passing of budget is just a matter of two days.
How funny! We are not in any way indicating that the Opposition should oppose anything for the sake opposition, but it should know how to play its role of a watchdog not only to put check and balance on the government from going overboard but also to correct the democratic practices in the best interest of the people.
By the way, are we expecting too much from a bunch of first-timer political wannabes, who were remotely connected to parliamentary norms and practices, until being elected to the State Assembly ?
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