Patna, Feb. 5: Experts are sceptical over the state government’s move to solicit views of common people before finalising the budget document for 2012-13. Some of them feel it has a limited scope. For a few, it is merely an eyewash.

Economist and director of Asian Development Research Institute P.P. Ghosh told The Telegraph: “Views of common people would be general in nature. They would be of limited help to those engaged in drafting the budget. But they can get hints on the issues to be given priority from the people’s views. But such suggestions cannot be a substitute to experts’ advice as budget-making is a highly technical work.”

Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) national committee member and industrialist Satyajit Kumar was more vocal in his criticism of the government’s move. “I have sincere doubts if the government would pay any heed to the suggestions given by people,” he said.

Giving reasons for carrying such a negative view, Satyajit said: “We, as representatives of industries, have been pursuing the state government to waive entry tax on import of raw material, plants and equipment during the pre-budget consultative process but nothing substantial has been done so far.”

Last year, deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who also holds the finance portfolio, accepted this demand. Modi made a reference during his budget speech about making a policy to address the issue but nothing was done thereafter, Satyajit said.

Economist N.K. Choudhary also spoke in a similar tone. “Going by the style of functioning of this government, I can say that this exercise is a mere eyewash. The government would do what it feels is right.”

The process of soliciting common people’s suggestion before making the budget has been introduced for the first time in Bihar this year. Earlier, consultations were limited to only experts and representatives of different business bodies.

This year, common people can send their views by logging on to the website http://finance.bih.nic.in. Those not familiar with the virtual world can send the hard copies of their suggestions to the special cell set up in the office of the deputy chief minister. February 10 is the last date for submitting suggestions.

“We are hoping that the initiative would help in getting some good ideas that would help in fine-tuning the budget document,” finance department principal secretary Rameshwar Singh said. The finance department officials would divide the views under different categories and find out which ideas were worth consideration.