Modernization of the Revenue Sector has always been a top priority for State Governments. Responding to this important requirement, The NIC Uttar Pradesh State Unit took up the challenge, and has successfully computerized the UP Budget Directorate and the treasuries of all districts in the State. The project aimed at co-relating money allocated, to the actual payments and receipts in the case of each department. This would also lend transparency to all government transactions. In addition, NIC also envisaged that computerization would introduce several other invigorating factors such as an accurate and speedy accounting pattern, proper budgeting and timely reporting. The Budget Directorate and the District Treasury Offices have been adequately equipped with the latest in information technology tools. Appropriate application software packages have been developed and implemented. In fact, computerization of the Revenue Sector is the end result of a number of projects put together :
● State Annual Budget
One of the major achievements of the project has been the preparation of the Budget for the year 1997-98. The Budget Document which consists of six khands — 17 books of around 4,500 pages — was completed within a record time of 25 days against the scheduled time of 90 days — thanks to the use of computers! The Document covers the complete spectrum of the finances of the State.
● Contingency Fund Monitoring
The Project has computerized the monitoring of the Rs 600 crores in the annual Contingency Fund of the State Government. This fund is used for emergency expenditures, and the spent amount is recouped in the annual budget.
● Budget Release and Expenditure Monitoring
After the Budget is approved, the amount sanctioned is released to the individual heads of the departments concerned. NIC has developed a software to monitor the budget released and the monthly expenditure of each head of department.
● Monitoring of Loans and Guarantees
State and Central Government loans to different corporations, boards, etc. are monitored with the objective of reducing state liabilities on loans and guarantees.
● Treasury Information System of NIC (TISNIC)
This user-friendly information system takes care of two important aspects: it prepares accounts up to the standard object level and helps in management by providing all reports required by the Accountant General, Allahabad and the State Government for monitoring and analysis of expenditures.
And that is not all. NIC has developed a Budget Control System to enable a treasury to specifically monitor the expenditures in a particular scheme allotted to a particular Drawing and Disbursal Officer. This package is under implementation.