Srinagar: The J&K administration has decided authorization of 50% of funds under Revenue Budget for the financial year 2022-23 to avoid ‘wasteful expenditure’.
On March 14, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman present Rs 112950 crore budget for Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory for 2022-23 in the (Lok Sabha) lower house of the Indian parliament.
Of Rs 112950 crore budget estimates, Rs 71615 crore was for revenue expenditure and Rs 41335 crore for capital expenditure.
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It was the third budget of J&K presented in the parliament after August 5, 2019 when Govt of India abrogated the semi-autononous status of Jammu and Kashmir and ‘reorganized’ the erstwhile state of J&K into two UTs (Union Territory.)
“Sanction is hereby accorded to the authorization of 50% of funds under Revenue Budget for the financial year 2022-23 except in respect of (nine) detailed heads which shall be released on case to case basis,” reads a government order.
These detailed heads include “003-Leave Travel Concession, 046-Purchase of Vehicles, 054-Furniture & Furnishings, 4. 201-Interest, 216-Purchase of Power, 311-Cost Price of Food Grains, 449-Snow Clearance, UT Share under revenue component, and Disaster Response Fund (DRF).”
“Grants and funds shall be released through (Budget Estimation, Allocation & Monitoring System) BEAMS.”
The Controlling Officers shall immediately release the funds to the line departments within a period of one week from the date of authorization of funds by the Finance Department, it said.
“The BEAMS Administrator at Administrative Department level shall report compliance to the Finance Department on monthly basis.”
The expenditure, it said, shall be made strictly in accordance with GFR 2017, it said.
Moreover, Power Development Department, it said, shall furnish online electricity bills on monthly basis to each DDO.
“The DDOs in-turn shall contra-credit the monthly billed amount to Major Head: 0801- Power through JKPAYSYS.”
Under no circumstances electricity bills shall be drawn in cash, it said.
“All the procurement of Goods and Services shall be made through GeM portal in terms of relevant provisions of GFR 2017, Manual for Procurement of Goods 2017 and Manual for Procurement of Consultancy and other Services 2017. "
The process of e-tendering, wherever required as per GFR, shall be initiated immediately in the month of April, 2022 and completed by or before 31st May for the year 2022-23.
“No diversion shall be made under any pretext unless expressly authorized by the Finance Department.”
The Controlling Officer(s)/DDOs, it said, shall strictly monitor revenue collection as per fixed targets on monthly basis which can be viewed in the Annual Financial Statement, 2022-23 available on Finance Department’s website and shall also be communicated through BEAMS.
All the Director Finance(s)/FA & CAO(S) shall ensure submission of monthly revenue realization statements and they shall also monitor the expenditure statements on BEAMS and furnish the same before 5th of following month for monthly review by the Finance Department, it said.
All the Government transactions, it said, shall be made through electronic mode without involving any cash transactions in the Government offices or other offices which are directly or indirectly controlled by the Government, excepting for few small denominations.
All the Controlling Officers/DDOs, it said, shall conduct periodic reconciliation of remittances and drawl with Treasury and the Office of the Accountant General (A&E), J&K to ensure correct reflection of income and expenditure in the Finance and other Accounts.
The funds so released shall be utilized by the concerned authority only for the purpose specified after observing all prerequisite formalities/procedures as per GFR and shall not be available for further re-appropriation/diversion at any level and for any reason whatsoever, it said.
Treasury Officers concerned have been asked to ensure that releases have been made by DDO(s) through BEAMS.
“Treasury Officers shall also be personally liable for making any payment not authorized and accepted on BEAMS application.”
The Departments shall ensure that the expenditure out of allotted funds are made in stipulated time-frame within the quarter(s) for which the funds have been released, it said.
The advance withdrawal of funds in respect of Grant-in-Aid to Autonomous Bodies/PSUs/Boards etc. shall be simultaneously processed with the fund release proposals by the Departments containing the details of available bank balances, status of holding BoD’s meeting, status of updation of annual accounts and status of previous UCs, it said.
“The ban on engagement of casual workers, need based workers, daily wagers etc shall continue to be in force.”
The expenditure shall be debited to the appropriate head of account as provided in the Demands for Grants and available on the BEAMS portal, it said.
“Treasury Officers shall not entertain cases of parking of funds under ‘Civil Deposits’ unless sanctioned by the Finance Department.” Strict action shall follow where any DDO or Treasury Officer violates these norms, it said.
“No bills on account of rent shall be entertained in the Treasury without Rent Assessment Order issued by the competent authority,” it said, adding, “The rent payable should not exceed the rent assessment.”
All Departments have been asked to ensure uniform pace of expenditure during the financial year 2022-23.
“The overall ceiling of 30% expenditure shall be maintained during the last quarter of the financial year 2022-23,” it said as per Global News Service, adding,
“The expenditure during the last month of the financial year 2022-23 shall be restricted to 15% of the budget allocation.” It said focus of expenditure should be outcome based and wasteful expenditure should be avoided.
“The outcome of the expenditure shall be reviewed on monthly basis by the Finance Department and any irregular expenditure against norms shall be strictly avoided”.
Funds provided under all the beneficiary schemes, it said, shall be disbursed through DBT mode with 100% Aadhar seeding which shall be reviewed by each Administrative Secretary on monthly basis.
“Beneficiary-wise report (shall be) furnished to Finance Department on regular basis for uploading on DBT portal.”
The Department shall ensure that the Budget Announcements for the year 2022-23 relating to Revenue Budget, are implemented on priority and achievements on this account shall be reviewed periodically.
(GNS)
