Gandhinagar, Dec 18 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a high-level review meeting in Gandhinagar to assess budget expenditure by all state government departments for the financial year 2025-26, covering spending up to November 2025.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister undertook a comparative review of departmental expenditure as of November 30 and expressed satisfaction over the improved pace of spending compared to the corresponding period last year.
He, however, stressed the need for stronger planning and closer monitoring to ensure that all procedural requirements are completed within prescribed timelines and that further improvement in expenditure is achieved in the first quarter of the next year.
Patel directed departments to focus not only on expenditure levels but also on the quality of implementation, particularly in infrastructure projects.
He instructed officials to adopt systematic testing and quality monitoring mechanisms and ordered strict action in cases where discrepancies are detected.
Referring to the Quality Cell established by the Urban Development Department, the Chief Minister said similar quality assurance mechanisms should be introduced across other departments as well.
Emphasising the timely delivery of welfare schemes, the Chief Minister said benefits such as scholarships, old-age pensions and widow assistance must reach eligible and genuine beneficiaries without delay.
He asked departments to make effective use of available data to ensure smooth and transparent implementation of beneficiary-oriented schemes.
The Chief Minister also underlined the importance of timely expenditure under centrally sponsored schemes, directing departments to complete allied and follow-up processes promptly to secure maximum funding from the Government of India.
He asked senior secretaries to expedite projects at the planning stage to ensure efficient and effective execution on the ground.
The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Kanubhai Desai, Minister of State for Transport and Forest–Environment Pravin Mali, Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister Dr Hasmukh Adhia, Chief Secretary M. K. Das, Advisor to the Chief Minister S. S. Rathore, along with Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of various departments.
The Principal Secretary of the Finance Department thanked all participants and assured that coordinated efforts would be made to ensure quality-focused and timely budget expenditure across departments.
–IANS
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