Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 14: Cash crunch has badly hit the Treasuries across the State with the result the liability has reached nearly Rs 2000 crores as many bills were pending for the last several months whereas, many development works have either been stalled or affected with the shortage of funds.
Not only the bills of contractors from R&B, Irrigation & Flood Control, PDD, JMC/ SMC, Housing Board and Local Bodies were pending for the months together, the Treasury bills of the employees and pensioners on account of GP Fund, Gratuity, pension arrears etc are also lying unpaid. The hapless employees and pensioners are being made to take turns of the Treasuries to receive their much needed money. Even many employees have failed to get their own hard earned money (GP Fund), out of their own savings from the Government Treasuries. Many of them needed this money for the marriage of their children while others for construction of houses.
Worst is the condition in the Treasuries of district Jammu where liability has accumulated higher as compared to other districts. Sources in the department disclosed that only in Saddar Treasury Jammu, bills worth over Rs 150 crore were pending whereas, liability of Gandhi Nagar Treasury was nearly Rs 70 crores. Again, the liability of Talab Tillo Treasury was around Rs 35 crore whereas, in New Plot Treasury of Jammu, the bills worth Rs 50 crore were pending for the last several months.
Sources further said that in Poonch Treasury bills worth over Rs 19.77 crores were pending whereas, in Udhampur the pendency was worth Rs 13 crores. In Udhampur alone, the bills of employees’ GP Fund worth Rs 5 core and contractors’ worth Rs 2. 5 crore were still pending. Similarly, the liability of Samba Treasury was to the tune of Rs 5 crore, Bhaderwah Treasury worth Rs 6 crore and Kathua Treasury worth Rs 11.5 crore including Rs 8 crore of employees’ Gratuity and GP Fund.
In Rajouri, the Tresuries’ liability has gone to Rs 22 crore and out of this total, employees’ GP Fund bills worth Rs 10.5 crore and Gratuity worth Rs 7.5 crore are pending. There is strong resentment among the employees and pensioners against the Government as their own money is not being released in their favour at the time of need. The Treasury Officers and the staff have to face the wrath of the public, employees, pensioners and contractors under such circumstances.
Though several Treasury Officers and even the Director Accounts and Treasuries, Mohd Aslam Malik claimed that employees’ salary and pension were among the top priorities of the Treasuries, yet employees of some of the departments have been complaining of non-payment of their salary for the month of June. Cash crunch in the State has affected the pace of developmental works on many projects while many contractors have stalled work as protest for non-payment of their pending bills for months together. With the cash crunch, public is the ultimate sufferer.
Contractors from JMC, R&B, Local Bodies and even the PDD especially engaged for the repair of transformers are the worst victims. Many contractors alleged that their cheques issued by the departments have lapsed as the Treasuries have gone dry. Their bills for the last over three to six months have remained unpaid. Chief Engineer R&B Jammu Hamid Sheikh when contacted claimed that bills of contractors of his department worth over Rs 60 to 70 crore were pending in various Treasuries and the amount may be more as of now. Replying to a question, he said this could be the problem of the Finance Department but their Division level engineers were pursuing the contractors to continue their works taken in hand. Bills of many contractors of Jammu Municipal Corporation are pending even for more than one year now.
Director Accounts and Treasuries, Jammu Aslam Malik when contacted disclosed that as of now, bills worth over Rs 1539 crore are pending in all the Treasuries of Jammu region. Out of the total, bills worth Rs 886 crore pertained to power sector while Rs 650 crore liability is of other nature. The liability of contractors and firms has reached up to Rs 34 crore. The bills of employees and pensioners’ Gratuity to the tune of Rs 80 crore and the liability of GP Fund bills has gone to the tune of Rs 100 crore.
Mr Malik further disclosed that bills of many contractors were cleared by June 20 while some were still pending. After April this year, some bills of the contractors were cleared. He said due to delay in receiving funds from the Centre this problem has been witnessed. He said not only in Jammu division, but similar problems is being faced by the Treasuries in Kashmir. Mr Malik, claimed that Treasuries were operating directly under directives from the Finance Department and priorities have been fixed for the release of funds. He said salary and pension are the top priorities besides Medical bills especially related to cancer, heart and kidney patients.
Director General Accounts and Treasuries, J&K Altaf Mirza when contacted said that cash crunch in the Treasuries was observed due to non-approval of budget in New Delhi. “The State has not received Plan funds so far. The delay in funds from New Delhi is the main reason behind the cash crunch. Now, since the budget has been approved, the problem will be sorted out shortly”, he added.
Referring to the liability of Kashmir region, Mr Mirza tried to play down the pendency and claimed that liability worth Rs 400-500 crore could be in Kashmir. He said the liability in Jammu region is higher as compared to Kashmir as power bills of contractors are on higher side only in Jammu region.
Replying to another question, the DG Treasuries said the power billing is generally not included yet that is also a liability. He claimed that salary/ pension of the employees is being regularly paid and Medical reimbursement bills, pension, food grains and drugs supply bills are among the priorities of the Government. Under any circumstances, these bills of essential nature have to be paid by the Government. When asked regarding delay in the payment of contractors and employees’ own generated money in the shape of GP Fund etc, Mr Mirza said about 50 % of the bills of the contractors have been cleared in the State. The Government realizes the hardships of the employees and pensioners and wants to clear their GP Fund and Gratuity bills but in view of delay from the Centre in receiving funds, this crunch is being faced by the State. He claimed that State would now get funds shortly and liability would also be cleared.
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