24.06.2025:Concluding Ceremony of the National Conference of Estimates Committees of Parliament, State Legislatures and Union Territories, Vidhan Bhavan, Mumbai |
Address by Shri C P Radhakrishnan, Governor of Maharashtra on the occasion of the Concluding Ceremony of the National Conference of Estimates Committees of Parliament, State Legislatures and Union Territories, Vidhan Bhavan, Mumbai | 24th June 2025
I touch and salute the holy feet of Bharat Mata, the Most Powerful and the Most Merciful.
Shri Om Birla Ji, Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha
Shri Harivansh Narayan Singh Ji, Hon’ble Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
Prof. Ram Shinde, Hon’ble Chairman of Maharashtra Legislative Council
Adv. Rahul Narwekar, Hon’ble Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
Dr Sanjay Jaiswal, Hon’ble Chairman, Estimates Committee of Lok Sabha
Smt. Neelam Gorhe, Hon’ble Deputy Chairman of Maharashtra Legislative Council
Shri Anna Saheb Bansode, Hon’ble Deputy Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly
Shri Ambadas Danve, Hon’ble Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council
Shri Arjun Khotkar, Hon’ble Chairman, Estimates Committee of Maharashtra Legislature
Distinguished Chairpersons and Members of Estimates Committees from Parliament and from various States and Union Territories
Secretary Generals of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,
Dr Prashant Narnaware, Secretary to the Governor
Secretaries of Maharashtra State Legislature
Hon’ble Members of Maharashtra State Legislature,
Respected Officers, Esteemed Invitees, Media persons,
Baheno Aur Bhaiyo,
At the outset, I extend a very warm welcome to the Hon’ble Speaker of Lok Sabha Shri Om Birla Ji and other esteemed dignitaries to the State of Maharashtra.
It is a matter of great pride and honour that Maharashtra has been chosen as the host for this National Conference of Estimates Committees, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of the Republic and the 75th Anniversary of the Parliamentary Estimates Committee – a diamond jubilee milestone in our democratic journey.
I congratulate the Organizers for this timely and forward-looking initiative.
I am sure, since yesterday, you have had a fruitful discussion the role of the committees, the changes in their functioning and their relevance in the present context.
Distinguished Delegates,
Maharashtra is a land of Bhakti, Shakti and Pragati.
The foundation of Hindavi Swaraj was laid in this holy land by the greatest ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Maharashtra has since remained the leading state of Mother Bharath.
The Maharashtra State Legislature has had a long and illustrious history, giving it a unique status in the country.
Only last year, the Maharashtra Legislative Council celebrated one century of its meaningful existence and service in the august presence of the Hon’ble President of India.
Maharashtra has given the nation some of the unique ideas and schemes. The revolutionary Employment Guarantee Scheme was conceived and unveiled in Maharashtra way back in the 1970’s. Later, it was adopted at the national level.
One thing I always admire about the Maharashtra is that there are extremely cordial relations between the Treasury Benches and the Opposition at the personal level. This is something many States can learn from Maharashtra.
The first Speaker of Lok Sabha late Shri G V Mavalankar had been the Speaker of this Assembly. Former President Smt Pratibha Patil was a member of this House. The Late Shri R S Gavai, former Governor of Kerala and the father of present Chief Justice of India was Chairman of this Legislative Council.
Towering personalities like Y B Chavan, Vasantrao Naik, Vasantdada Patil, S.B.Chavan, Shripad Amrut Dange, S.M.Joshi, Nanasaheb Goray, Manohar Joshi, Sharad Pawar, had also graced the floor of Maharashtra Legislature. On an occasion like this one also remembers firebrand parliamentarians like George Fernandes, Barrister Nath Pai and others.
Sisters and Brothers,
Our founding fathers made a bold and wise choice in adopting Parliamentary Democracy. In this system, Legislative Committees, especially financial committees like the Estimates Committee, act as the backbone of accountability and transparency in governance.
As a Member of Parliament from 1998 to 2004, I was Chairman of the Committee on Textiles. I was also a Member of the Committee on PSUs, Finance, and the Stock Exchange Scam Inquiry. I can personally vouch the important role these committees play in our democratic set up.
Over the past 75 years, the Estimates Committee has evolved into a formidable instrument of oversight, guiding the efficient allocation of public funds, reviewing performance and recommending improvements across ministries and departments.
In a democratic setup, the consensus-driven, non-partisan nature of Estimates Committees gives them moral strength. Their constructive and fearless analysis has improved decision-making and reinforced public trust in our institutions.
As government spending continues to expand in both scale and complexity, the Committee’s role will only become more critical and challenging.
With States often spending more than 55% of their revenue receipts on committed expenditures like salaries, pensions and interest payments, there is an urgent need to look beyond traditional methods.
As of 2024, the combined outstanding liabilities of all Indian states and UTs reached ₹83.3 lakh crore.
Committees must proactively harness tools of data analytics, dashboards, and AI-powered audit platforms to track budget performance and service delivery in real time.
Recently, we had the visit of the Speaker of the Russian Duma Mr Vycheslav Volodin to Maharashtra. He spoke of inter-parliamentary cooperation at the regional legislature level.
This ‘Amritkaal’ presents us with a valuable opportunity to make collective efforts towards establishing Bharat as a global leader.
We must strive to develop modern systems across all democratic institutions, inspired by the Bharatiya thought process, so that our nation secures its rightful place on the world stage as a strong, prosperous country dedicated to the welfare of all.
I congratulate the Estimates Committee of Parliament on completing 75 years of distinguished service. I also compliment the Maharashtra Legislative Secretariat for hosting this significant 2 – day Conference with such excellence and warmth.
Dhanyavad !
Jai Hind ! Jai Bharath ! Jai Maharashtra !!