Such crucial budgetary information as total budget proposed, budget allocated for a financial year, budget released and budget actually spent should be available on the web site of the federal public bodies to ensure public participation so that citizens could provide informed input into entire budget making process as well as its utilization.
The requested information pertaining to the indicative budget ceiling separately for current and development expenditures for FY 2022-23 as communicated to PAO of the Respondent by the Finance Division should have been available on the web site of the Respondent had Section 5 (1) (g) of the Act been implemented by the Respondent which is as under:
“Detailed budget of the public body; including proposed and actual expenditures, original or revised revenue targets, actual revenue, receipts, revision in the approved budget and the supplementary budget;”.
Such is the significance of proactive disclosure of information that the Respondent would have only been required to guide the Appellant to the link where the requested information was available on the web site if the Respondent had implemented Section 5 of the Act. It would have saved time and resources of both the commission and those of the Respondent.