Steps to avoid last minute expenditure at end of FY
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 25: The Finance Department today came out with guidelines for Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) and the treasuries with a view to avoid last minute expenditure at the treasuries and providing ample time for proper scrutiny of hard copies of bills.
The guidelines were issued by Finance Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Finance Department Atal Dulloo.
The new directive comes at a time when there is barely one-week left for current financial year of 2021-22 to end and there has been general trend of last minute rush for clearance of bills at the treasuries.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has already taken series of measures to ensure that only genuine bills get through the treasuries while others, if any, are blocked.
As per the guidelines, the Treasury Officers will be provided ample time for proper scrutiny of hard copies of bills generated through JKPaySys.
The Finance Department has fixed cutoff date and time receipt of bills at the Treasuries in entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir including New Delhi treasury up to 1 pm on March 30, 2022.
“Treasury officers will not entertain any bill/claim for payment after 1 pm on 30.03.2022 unless authorized by the Finance Department,” the Government order said.
It advised the Drawing and Disbursing Officers to plan their bill presentation accordingly at respective Treasuries.
However, as per the order, revenue receipts (cash/contra) shall continue as in usual business.
Sources said the directions were necessitated as there has been heavy eleventh hour rush in the treasuries close to the end of the financial year for clearance of bills by the Government departments.
Earlier, under the garb of rush, certain irregularities in withdrawal of bills used to be noticed. However, over a period of time, the Finance Department and the Anti-corruption Bureau have taken series of measures to avoid last minute rush at the treasuries for withdrawal of bills.
Few days back, the Anti-Corruption Bureau had also come out with series of directions to the treasuries on withdrawal of bills at the end of the financial year.
Sources expressed confidence that the directions issued by the Finance Department as well as the Anti-Corruption Bureau will help maintain financial discipline at the fag end of the current fiscal year.
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