Publication: Islamic Republic of Pakistan : Punjab Public Financial Management and Accountability Assessment
Loading...
Date
2005-05
ISSN
Published
2005-05
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
The Country Financial Accountability Assessment - Pakistan (December 2003) concluded that there were substantial opportunities for consolidating current reforms throughout Pakistan, and for introducing additional reforms to further strengthen public financial accountability, which would require sustained policy level commitment at national, and provincial levels. This provincial Public Financial Management (PFM) and Accountability Assessment follow this theme of continuing reform. The PFM Performance Measurement Framework provides for a four-grade rating mechanism for measuring the attributes of PFM in a government against the benchmarks provided therein. It provides a useful mechanism for charting a path towards demonstrable improved PFM. The study notes that the reforms already underway are developing a strong trajectory for PFM improvement, and this report sets out the continuing concerns, challenges, and proposals for further reforms and development, while setting the issues for further negotiation, although most issues are within the capacity of the Punjab Provincial authorities. Areas for urgent additional reform are in the budget execution, accounting and audit areas, and specific areas for priority attention suggest the improvement of arrears information on expenditures and revenues; of frequent monitoring of fiscal risks arising from State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), including contingent liabilities and government guarantees; improvement of procurement processes, through the implementation of the proposed new procurement law; improvements in services delivery and budget execution, through reductions in procedural delays, and increases in community knowledge of budget information; and, the introduction of an adequate system of internal auditing, based on standards promulgated by the Institute of Internal Auditors.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2005. Islamic Republic of Pakistan : Punjab Public Financial Management and Accountability Assessment. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/8629 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Zambia - Public Expenditure Management and Financial Accountability Review : Country Financial Accountability Assessment, Annex, Volume 2(Washington, DC, 2003-11)The challenges faced by Zambia in public expenditure management (PEM) have been longstanding, and will require targeted efforts, as well as a strong degree of political will to address. The recently launched constitutional review, which includes issues of public finance, the anti-corruption campaign of the new Government, and the renewed interest by Parliament in governance issues, and accountability have all been encouraging steps. Nevertheless, for Zambia to assure that public accountability is enduring, and not dependent upon the Government of the day, it must take steps to strengthen institutions of the State that can provide public oversight, and that promote basic checks and balances. This report provides a very detailed analysis of the country's PEM, and accountability processes. Yet, many of the recommendations are not new, but have been cited in previous reports of the Bank, and/or other donors. Effective implementation of public sector reforms will likely remain a challenge in Zambia. The limited capacity of Government suggests the need to target a few major aspects of public finance, and to address them persistently: improving compliance with existing regulations; strengthening the oversight institutions of the State; promoting public access to information; and, rebuilding information management, and reporting systems. The report also deals with the second objective of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), i.e., with ways and methods by which the Government can ensure efficient, equitable, and transparent management of public resources. It also focuses on the dimension of governance, i.e., the effectiveness of government to be able to provide public services. The specific objectives of the report are to: (a) provide a comprehensive and integrated assessment of Zambia's overall fiduciary risk, i.e., budget management, financial systems and auditing, and public procurement; (b) document PEM reforms progress to-date, and challenges facing Zambia; and, (c) develop a realistic action plan, outlining short and medium term remedial measures, which the Government should implement with donor support.Publication India : Orissa State Financial Accountability Assessment(Washington, DC, 2004-05-30)The Country Assistance Strategy for India places emphasis on the need for modernizing public financial management, and accountability systems, and, undertaking such diagnostic work as necessary to help build Government's capacity for better public sector management, and external scrutiny. It calls for financial accountability assessments to be carried out in all States where programmatic adjustment loans are being prepared, supporting reforms associated with fiscal, and fiduciary risks management. Of India's 14 major States, Orissa has the second lowest, per capita income, and a growth rate of 3 percent against the national average of 5-6 percent per annum, while statistics also show its revenue, and fiscal deficits increased significantly over the years. The Government of Orissa is developing a robust reform program, reforms which on the fiscal side, are fully consistent with recommendations for strengthening financial management, and public accountability, as proposed in this State Financial Accountability Assessment (SFAA) Report. This SFAA is designed to ascertain and help mitigate the extent to which public firms in Orissa State, are exposed to fiduciary risks, and it further points to the need for capacity building, in almost every significant aspect of public financial accountability. It is reported that while the legal/regulatory/institutional frameworks for internal control, and internal audit compares favorably with the rest of India, it does less so with international best practice, and, although accounting and financial reporting rules comply with well-established national requirements, it does not with International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) for cash based accounting, and financial reporting. Recommendations suggest to encourage the enlargement of the role of the State Accountant General - AG - (Audit) in following up cases of previous Audit Reports which the Committees may not like to pursue for detailed examination; to discuss the most recent reports of the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) as a matter of priority; to include in the annual confidential reports of the departmental officers, an assessment of the quality of response to the audit reports, and recommendations of the Committees; and, civil society should be sensitized, and involved in the accountability process, to achieve transparency.Publication India, Uttar Pradesh : State Financial Accountability Assessment(Washington, DC, 2004-08-31)Uttar Pradesh (UP) is India's most populous State, and one of the poorest. Serious fiscal problems have emerged since the 1990s: the revenue deficit has increased significantly over the years, as well as the fiscal deficit, and, arrangements for accountability in the public sector have been undermined. Procedures exist for budgeting and monitoring the use of public resources, but there is little incentive to follow them. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India questions numerous departmental actions each year, but there is no compulsion on the executive branch to provide prompt answers, and to make necessary changes. Some useful progress has been made in implementing the financial management reform program over the last three years, as follows: 1) Computerization of the Treasuries in a network system has been completed at state government level, enabling the Government to monitor cash flows and prevent excess expenditures; 2) a Directorate of Internal Audit has been established in the Department of Finance to provide central leadership, and guidance in the development of departmental audit; and, 3) measures are being taken to establish better control over payrolls. The report reviews the strengths and weaknesses in financial management and accountability, to present a risk analysis that highlights widespread irregularities, and lack of prompt and predictable corrective action, meaning that the overall level of fiduciary risk remains high. It suggests there is significant scope for the Government of UP to improve the efficiency, and effectiveness of public spending through further consolidation of the budget, better matching of accountability with responsibility, routine enforcement of accountability, and greater transparency. This would be fully consistent with the fiscal reform program, and would have a direct impact on the GoUP's ability to provide more, and better quality public services to the poor. Recommendations suggest to a) depute one or more senior officials in the Finance Department to oversee public financial accountability reforms; b) review and update Financial Handbooks, Treasury Rules and Budget Manuals; c) develop and implement a Medium Term Expenditure framework in major spending departments of GoUP; and, d) strengthen accountability in Rural Local Bodies, in internal controls in Development Authorities, in internal audit within GoUP, in state government training institutions, and, build capacities within the Finance Department.Publication Bhutan - Public Financial Management Accountability Assessment(World Bank, 2010-06-01)This summary assessment uses indicator-led analysis to provide an integrated assessment of the Public Financial Management (PFM) system which draws on international standards developed by various development partners. The purpose is to measure PFM performance across a wide range of development over time. The Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) methodology includes the best conditions that some Organization for Economic cooperation and Development (OECD) countries demonstrate and in this assessment it is important to consider the Bhutanese context, that it is a small country, traditionally with an agricultural base society with relatively lesser industry and commerce. It is unable to support a financial sector infrastructure in terms of accountancy and audit standard setting and the availability of international standards is of great assistance. The 31 indicators for the PFM system focus on the basic qualities of a PFM system operating to existing good international practices, and assessments are classified A (excellent), B (good), C (opportunities for some improvement) and D (in need of substantial improvement in some areas or information not available for the assessment). Each indicator may have 1-4 dimensions each of which is assessed independently. The overall score for the indicator is based on the scores for the constituent dimensions in accordance with scoring rules established in the PEFA PFM framework document. In some circumstances a plus sign is added where the indicator takes on the score of the lowest scoring dimension but other dimensions have higher scores.Publication Tajikistan : Country Financial Accountability Assessment(Washington, DC, 2004-06-22)This Country Financial Accountability Assessment (CFAA), the first for Tajikistan, is a key diagnostic study aimed at identifying the overall financial management risks. It's timing coincides with a meeting of the Tajik Consultative Group in April 2003, which pledged US$900 million of support over the next three years. Addressing the numerous, systemic financial management weaknesses in Tajikistan will have an important impact on the governance arrangements which, in turn, will affect donor disbursements against these commitments. In this respect, the CFAA also aims to provide a roadmap for future advice and technical assistance in public sector accountability. It assesses structural reforms in public sector budget management, accounting and financial reporting, the treasury system, internal controls and internal and external audits. I t also examines the mechanisms of public accountability at the sub-national and community levels.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Global Economic Prospects, January 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16)Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.Publication Lebanon Economic Monitor, Fall 2022(Washington, DC, 2022-11)The economy continues to contract, albeit at a somewhat slower pace. Public finances improved in 2021, but only because spending collapsed faster than revenue generation. Testament to the continued atrophy of Lebanon’s economy, the Lebanese Pound continues to depreciate sharply. The sharp deterioration in the currency continues to drive surging inflation, in triple digits since July 2020, impacting the poor and vulnerable the most. An unprecedented institutional vacuum will likely further delay any agreement on crisis resolution and much needed reforms; this includes prior actions as part of the April 2022 International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff-level agreement (SLA). Divergent views among key stakeholders on how to distribute the financial losses remains the main bottleneck for reaching an agreement on a comprehensive reform agenda. Lebanon needs to urgently adopt a domestic, equitable, and comprehensive solution that is predicated on: (i) addressing upfront the balance sheet impairments, (ii) restoring liquidity, and (iii) adhering to sound global practices of bail-in solutions based on a hierarchy of creditors (starting with banks’ shareholders) that protects small depositors.Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.Publication World Development Report 2006(Washington, DC, 2005)This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.