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| + | ====== RTI for department budget allocation — track every rupee ====== | ||
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| + | <WRAP info> | ||
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| + | ===== The story most citizens recognise ===== | ||
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| + | Sunita is a schoolteacher in a district headquarters town in Madhya Pradesh. In the 2024 State Budget speech she heard the Finance Minister announce ₹42 crore for upgrading the district hospital — a new block, an ICU, and X-ray machines. Two years on, the old block stands cracked, the ICU has no ventilators, | ||
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| + | When Sunita asks the hospital superintendent how much of the ₹42 crore actually arrived and where it went, she is told, "That is with the Finance Department, ask them." When she writes to the District Treasury, they say, "We only release what the head office sanctions; ask the Health Department." | ||
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| + | This is the most common wall a citizen hits: a budget number spoken in the Assembly or Parliament, and silence on the ground. The Right to Information Act, 2005 breaks that wall. It lets Sunita — and you — ask, in writing, for the exact paper trail of every rupee: how much was allocated head-wise, how much was released on which date, how much was spent on what, how much was surrendered back unspent, and how much was quietly shifted from the hospital-equipment head to travel or office overheads. This guide shows you how to do it, using only verified legal and financial facts as they stand in 2026. | ||
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| + | ===== What department budget allocation actually is ===== | ||
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| + | Every rupee the government spends sits inside the **Consolidated Fund of India** or the **Consolidated Fund of a State**, established by **Article 266 of the Constitution**. Article 266(3) is the lock on that fund: no money can be taken out except "in accordance with law and for the purposes and in the manner provided in this Constitution." | ||
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| + | Inside each Demand for Grant, money is broken into **heads of account** — a structured code (major head, sub-major head, minor head, sub-head, detailed head, object head) that tells you whether the rupee is for " | ||
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| + | The financial-propriety rules that govern how departments spend this money are the **General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017**, issued by the Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, | ||
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| + | - **Rule 62 — Surrender of savings.** A department must surrender anticipated savings to the Finance Ministry before the financial year closes; any money not spent by 31 March **lapses**. A rush of expenditure in February-March to "use up" the budget is itself a breach of financial propriety (Rule 62(3)), which Financial Advisers must watch through a Monthly Expenditure Plan. | ||
| + | - **Rule 65 — Re-appropriation.** Funds can be shifted from one head to another within a grant **before the year closes**, but only by a competent authority, only when savings are foreseen in the source head, and never with the intent to restore the money later. Every re-appropriation of ₹1 lakh or more must record the reason in writing on **Form GFR 1**, with a copy endorsed to the Accounts Officer. | ||
| + | - **Rule 86(5).** All re-appropriation and surrender orders must now be generated through the **Public Financial Management System (PFMS)** — meaning these are machine-readable, | ||
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| + | The single most important RTI hook sits in **Section 4(1)(b)(xi) of the RTI Act 2005**, which obliges every public authority to publish suo motu "the budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursement made." In plain terms, head-wise budget allocation and disbursement particulars are **mandatorily disclosable** — the law says they should already be on the department' | ||
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| + | <WRAP tip> | ||
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| + | ===== How the budget cycle works — so you know what to ask for ===== | ||
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| + | To file a sharp RTI you need to know the four numbers that tell the real story of a department' | ||
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| + | - **Budget Estimate (BE):** what the department asked Parliament or the Assembly to approve in the Budget presented in February. This is the headline figure. | ||
| + | - **Revised Estimate (RE):** the mid-year correction, shown in the next Budget, reflecting what the department now expects to actually spend by 31 March. A big gap between BE and RE is the first warning sign — money was allocated but is not being used, or is being redirected. | ||
| + | - **Final grant:** the figure actually authorised by the Appropriation Act, including any supplementary grant passed during the year. | ||
| + | - **Actual expenditure: | ||
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| + | The gap between "final grant" and " | ||
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| + | Behind these numbers, the live fund-flow trail runs through **PFMS** — the Public Financial Management System, designed, owned and run by the **Office of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA)** since 2009. PFMS is integrated with the treasuries of all 28 States and 2 Union Territories with legislatures, | ||
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| + | ===== The 2026 update you must know about ===== | ||
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| + | Two things have changed the budget-transparency picture in 2026 that you should build into your RTI. | ||
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| + | First, **Section 4(1)(b)(xi) of the RTI Act, 2005 is itself the binding legal duty** — it obliges every public authority to publish suo motu "the budget allocated to each of its agency, indicating the particulars of all plans, proposed expenditures and reports on disbursement made." The Central Information Commission has repeatedly treated non-compliance with Section 4 as an enforceable failure, not a discretion (see the CIC's own suo motu disclosure guidance at cic.gov.in). So a PIO who refuses budget-allocation information is refusing something the statute already says must be on the website. Lead your first appeal with the statutory text, not a favour. | ||
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| + | Second, **PFMS-generated re-appropriation and surrender orders (GFR Rule 86(5))** are now the norm for Central departments and most States. This means the old excuse — " | ||
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| + | For the Union Budget 2026-27 itself, the headline numbers are public on **indiabudget.gov.in**: | ||
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| + | ===== Step-by-step: | ||
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| + | You will usually file **one application per department per financial year**. If the money flows from Centre to State (a Centrally Sponsored Scheme) and you want both ends of the trail, file two — one to the Central ministry' | ||
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| + | **Step 1 — Identify the right public authority.** | ||
| + | - **Central ministry' | ||
| + | - **State department' | ||
| + | - **District-level implementation: | ||
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| + | **Step 2 — Prepare your questions.** Ask for specific, dated, head-wise records — not " | ||
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| + | - **Head-wise allocation: | ||
| + | - **Releases: | ||
| + | - **Expenditure: | ||
| + | - **Re-appropriation and surrender: | ||
| + | - **Variance reasons:** " | ||
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| + | **Step 3 — Use the right form and fee.** | ||
| + | - For a **Central** application, | ||
| + | - For a **State** application, | ||
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| + | **Step 4 — Submit and keep proof.** File by hand and take a stamped receiving copy, or send by registered post and keep the acknowledgement, | ||
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| + | **Step 5 — Wait 30 days.** The PIO must reply within **30 days** of receiving your application (48 hours only where life or liberty is at stake, which budget queries normally are not). If the 30 days pass with no reply, or the reply is incomplete, move to the first appeal. | ||
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| + | You can speed up drafting with the AI RTI drafting tool at https:// | ||
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| + | ===== Documents to attach ===== | ||
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| + | - A copy of the **Budget speech or Demand for Grant** extract that announced the allocation you are tracking (helps the PIO locate the exact head). | ||
| + | - Any **PFMS dashboard screenshot or scheme name** you already have, so the PIO cannot claim the scheme is unidentified. | ||
| + | - A **BPL certificate** if you are below the poverty line — BPL applicants are exempt from the RTI fee under the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2012, Rule 5. | ||
| + | - The **Rs.10 IPO or online receipt** as proof of fee payment. | ||
| + | - A self-addressed stamped envelope if filing by post (some States require it; check your State rules). | ||
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| + | ===== Common mistakes to avoid ===== | ||
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| + | - **Asking only for the "total budget." | ||
| + | - **Skipping re-appropriation and surrender.** These are the two records that reveal whether money was quietly moved or left unspent. Cite **GFR Rule 65** (re-appropriation) and **Rule 62** (surrender) by name. | ||
| + | - **Filing for multiple years in one application.** The PIO can then call it " | ||
| + | - **Forgetting PFMS.** Under **GFR Rule 86(5)**, re-appropriation and surrender orders are PFMS-generated and machine-readable. Ask for them in **PDF plus CSV/XLS** so the PIO cannot dump paper files on you. | ||
| + | - **Not naming the Demand number.** For Central ministries, naming the Demand for Grant number (e.g., Demand 31 for the Department of Expenditure) pins the PIO to a specific record set. | ||
| + | - **Ignoring Section 4(1)(b)(xi).** If the information was already supposed to be on the website, say so in your application and again in your first appeal. A refusal to disclose what Section 4 already mandates is hard for the FAA to defend. | ||
| + | - **Letting the §6(3) transfer go silent.** If your application is transferred to another authority, the transferring PIO must tell you within **5 days**. If you hear nothing, that is itself grounds for a first appeal under **Section 19(1)**. | ||
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| + | ===== Real-life example ===== | ||
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| + | <WRAP center round box> | ||
| + | Sunita T., a resident of a district headquarters town in Madhya Pradesh, filed an RTI to the **CPIO, Accounts Wing, State Health and Family Welfare Department** in July 2026, covering FY 2025-26. She asked, in five numbered points, for the head-wise BE, RE and final allocation for the district hospital upgrade announced at ₹42 crore in the 2024 Budget; the date-wise releases with sanction numbers; head-wise quarter-wise expenditure; | ||
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| + | The reply, received on day 28, showed that of ₹42 crore allocated, ₹38.6 crore was released but only ₹21.4 crore was actually spent by 31 March 2026 — a saving of ₹17.2 crore, most of it under the " | ||
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| + | ===== Sample RTI letter ===== | ||
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| + | < | ||
| + | To, | ||
| + | The Central Public Information Officer, | ||
| + | [Department Name], Integrated Finance Division / Budget Wing, | ||
| + | [Address] | ||
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| + | Subject: Application under Section 6(1), RTI Act 2005 — Head-wise budget allocation, release, utilisation, | ||
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| + | Sir/Madam, | ||
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| + | Under Section 6(1) and Section 2(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005, kindly furnish the following information relating to the [name] Department for the financial year 2025-26: | ||
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| + | 1. Certified head-wise and sub-head-wise Budget Estimate, Revised Estimate and final sanctioned allocation, with major head, sub-major head, minor head and object head codes. | ||
| + | 2. Date-wise statement of fund releases with sanction number, date, amount and budget head for each release. | ||
| + | 3. Head-wise, quarter-wise actual expenditure incurred and year-end actual against each head. | ||
| + | 4. Certified copies of every re-appropriation order issued under GFR Rule 65 and every surrender order issued under GFR Rule 62, generated through PFMS under Rule 86(5), with file noting and approval. | ||
| + | 5. Certified copies of all Utilisation Certificates received and accepted for schemes under these heads. | ||
| + | 6. Reasons recorded in writing for each head where the saving or excess is ₹1 lakh or more, as required under GFR Rule 65(4). | ||
| + | 7. Certified copies of supplementary grant requests and approvals for FY 2025-26, if any. | ||
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| + | I note that the information at points 1 to 3 above is already required to be published suo motu under Section 4(1)(b)(xi) of the RTI Act, 2005. To the extent it has not been published, please supply it in reply to this application. | ||
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| + | Under Section 7(1), please supply the information within 30 days. Under Section 6(3), if any part of this application pertains to another public authority, please transfer it within 5 days and intimate me of the transferred authority. Under Section 10, please sever any exempt portion and supply the rest, with a speaking order citing the specific exemption invoked. | ||
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| + | Application fee of Rs.10 is enclosed via Indian Postal Order No. [____]. | ||
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| + | [Name, address, mobile, email, date, signature] | ||
| + | </ | ||
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| + | ===== The escalation ladder if you get no answer ===== | ||
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| + | - **First appeal — Section 19(1):** If no reply reaches you within 30 days (plus 15 days transit for postal applications), | ||
| + | - **Second appeal — Section 19(3):** If the FAA also fails you, file a Second Appeal to the **Central Information Commission** (for a Central ministry) or your **State Information Commission** (for a State department) within 90 days of the FAA order. Lead with **Section 4(1)(b)(xi)** — budget allocation and disbursement particulars are mandatorily disclosable by statute, so a refusal is a failure of a legal duty, not a mere dispute over a record. | ||
| + | - **Complaint — Section 18:** If the PIO never replied at all or refused to accept the application, | ||
| + | - **Penalty — Section 20:** The Commission can impose a penalty of Rs.250 per day on the PIO, up to Rs.25,000, for delay or wrongful refusal without reasonable cause. | ||
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| + | Use the timeline calculator at https:// | ||
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| + | ===== Frequently asked questions ===== | ||
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| + | ==== Should I file one RTI for multiple years? ==== | ||
| + | No. File one financial year per application. Bundling years lets the PIO call the request " | ||
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| + | ==== Can I ask for file notings on budget shifts? ==== | ||
| + | Yes. File notings on re-appropriation and surrender decisions are " | ||
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| + | ==== Is PFMS data enough without an RTI? ==== | ||
| + | Partly. The PFMS dashboard at pfmsdashboard.gov.in shows scheme-wise utilisation, | ||
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| + | ==== What if the department says the records are with the Treasury or Accountant General? ==== | ||
| + | That is a Section 6(3) transfer situation. The PIO must transfer your application to the correct authority within 5 days and intimate you in writing. If the PIO simply rejects it instead of transferring, | ||
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| + | ==== Can the PIO refuse by calling the information " | ||
| + | Only partly. Under the RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2012, the PIO can point to a large volume and offer a date for inspection (first hour free, then Rs.5 per hour). But head-wise allocation, releases, expenditure and re-appropriation for one department and one year are not voluminous — and under GFR Rule 86(5) they exist as PFMS-generated electronic records. Insist on PDF plus CSV copies. If the PIO still refuses, escalate. | ||
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| + | ==== Do I have to pay for copies? ==== | ||
| + | The application fee is Rs.10 (Central). Reproduction charges under Rule 4 are Rs.2 per page for A3 or smaller, Rs.50 per diskette or electronic medium, and the first hour of inspection is free. If the PIO breaches the 30-day time limit, the fee is waived under Section 7(6). BPL applicants are exempt from the fee on producing a BPL certificate. | ||
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| + | ==== What is the difference between BE, RE and final grant? ==== | ||
| + | Budget Estimate is what the department asked for in February; Revised Estimate is the mid-year correction shown in the next Budget; final grant is what the Appropriation Act actually authorised, including any supplementary grant. A wide BE-to-RE gap is your first signal that the announced budget was never going to be spent as promised. | ||
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| + | ==== Can I get the information in Excel or CSV? ==== | ||
| + | Yes. Under Section 2(j) you can request the form of access, and under GFR Rule 86(5) the records exist as PFMS-generated electronic files. Ask for "PDF plus machine-readable spreadsheet (CSV/XLS) where available." | ||
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| + | ==== Which authority do I file against for a Centrally Sponsored Scheme? ==== | ||
| + | File two applications in parallel: one to the **Central ministry' | ||
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| + | ===== Sources ===== | ||
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| + | - RTI Act 2005 — full text: [cic.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - RTI (Regulation of Fee and Cost) Rules, 2012, Rules 3-5: [niti.gov.in PDF](https:// | ||
| + | - Section 4(1)(b) suo motu disclosure (CIC's own disclosure page): [cic.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - Constitution of India, Article 266 — Consolidated Fund: [constitutionofindia.net](https:// | ||
| + | - General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017, Rules 57, 62, 64, 65, 66, 86 (updated to 31.07.2024): | ||
| + | - Public Financial Management System (PFMS): [pfms.nic.in](https:// | ||
| + | - Controller General of Accounts — PFMS: [cga.nic.in](https:// | ||
| + | - Department of Expenditure — SNA / CNA models: [doe.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - Union Budget 2026-27: [indiabudget.gov.in](https:// | ||
| + | - Central RTI online portal: [rtionline.gov.in](https:// | ||
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| + | ===== Related on RTI Wiki ===== | ||
| + | |||
| + | - [[rti-for-utilization-certificate|RTI for Utilisation Certificate]] | ||
| + | - [[rti-for-cag-audit-objection|RTI for CAG audit objection follow-up]] | ||
| + | - [[rti-for-grant-in-aid-disbursement|RTI for grant-in-aid disbursement]] | ||
| + | - [[rti-for-mp-mla-fund-utilization|RTI for MP and MLA fund utilization]] | ||
| + | - [[rti-for-amrut-scheme-funds|RTI for AMRUT scheme funds]] | ||
| + | - [[rti-for-swachh-bharat-funds|RTI for Swachh Bharat Mission funds]] | ||
| + | - [[contractor-bill-pending-in-treasury|Contractor bill pending in treasury]] | ||
| + | - [[rti-for-beginners|RTI in 12 simple steps]] | ||
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| + | //Last reviewed: 5 July 2026.// | ||
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| + | {{tag> | ||