Performance evaluation

Today six decades and half behind us, we have made substantial progress in all fields.  We are among the fast developing countries of the world with 7.5 developmental graphs. Our progress in all walks assures us that in next one decade or so, India will be among the developed countries of the world. This is remarkable achievement and we are poised for greater laurels to be won.
But as we are moving forward, it is necessary that we simultaneously go on reviewing and revaluating the achievements we have made so that we are able to identify our achievements as well as shortcomings. For this purpose the Central Government floated the programme for all State Governments to submit the Results Framework Document (RFD).  This document is supposed to contain not only the agreed objectives, policies, programs and projects but also success indicators and targets to measure progress in implementing them. Through RFD three basic questions would be answered. These are what the department’s main objectives are for the year, what actions are proposed by the department to achieve these objectives, and how would someone know at the end of the year the degree of progress made. This was devised to make our future plans more effective and result-oriented.  The Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System (PMES) for the Government departments was introduced by the Union Government in the year 2009 and in the Chief Secretaries Conference held in February 2010, it was decided that the Performance Management Division of the Union Cabinet Secretariat will provide assistance to the States in implementing PMES/RFD at the State level.
However, our State initially did not pay attention to the revaluation scheme set in motion by the Union Government and the departments almost ignored it for quite some time. We are unable to identify the reasons for that slackness. In the year 2012, the then Chief Secretary took steps to implement the RFD in the State and accordingly issued instructions to the Departments of how to prepare the document of revaluation. Although revaluation for the year 2012-13 was conducted but the details of the RFD were never made public and it was not possible for the civil society to decide what the level of development in the State was. That notwithstanding, no revaluation for the years 2013-14 and 2014-15 is forthcoming. It appears that the departments of state administration have once again forgotten the matter and left it to back burner. While the administration of the State is deeply interested in the postings and transfers of officials, it is least concerned about the record of developments made.
We have been repeatedly bringing it to the notice of the civil society that the State Government is usually apathetic towards undertaking and completing the projects that are floated by the Central Government agencies and for which even funding is made available to the State. How long will this apathy and slackness continue, is difficult to answer.  At the end of the day the loss is that of the people of the State. The State Government is avoiding accountability. Is that going to help us in our developmental ambitions?

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