By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, January 30, 2020: Odisha emerged as the second best state in terms of best practices followed in budget formulation, says a survey by Transparency International.

Assam has emerged as the top state followed by Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

“The very essence of fiscal and budget transparency is providing ordinary citizens complete information about how public resources are allocated and used by the government. Transparency in budgetary process is essential because it will lead to an improvement in delivery of important public services such as education, health etc. at both the union and state levels. Budget transparency will enhance public confidence in the government and will act as a deterrent to financial mismanagement and corrupt practices in the country”, Transparency International said.

The survey was based on four parameters — public disclosure, budgetary process, post budget fiscal management and efforts to make budget more transparent and citizen friendly.

The states which figured lower in the ranking were Goa, Maharashtra and Punjab.

“It is ironical that being a ‘Union of States’, state budgets in India have never received such importance as claimed by Union Budget.

“As a result, most of the state budgets are neither inclusive nor transparent; this is not good for country in general and that state in particular,” Transparency International said in its report.