APD Secy sends warning notes to all erring officers
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 28: Gover-nment has detected irregularities in utilization of State Share for nine Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs) in the agriculture sector and blatant violation of the directives of Planning Development and Monitoring Department by the concerned Mission Directors and Nodal Officers. All these erring officers have now been warned to immediately refrain from indulging in such activities or be ready to face the action under rules.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the Planning Development and Monitoring Department vide Government Order No.56-PD of 2017 dated February 9, 2017 had conveyed its authorization to the utilization of 50% of the 2017-18 Capex Budget under State and District Sector as detailed in the Demand of Grants 2017-18 by the respective Administrative Departments, Heads of the Department and District Development Commissioners strictly as per the sectoral allocations.
It was explicitly mentioned in the order that authorized amount shall be available to meet the State Share for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs), Prime Minister’s Development Package and negotiated loans lifted/bring lifted from NABARD, LIC and REC for approved schemes within the prescribed limits.
However, there was a rider that authorization shall not be applicable to the Centrally Sponsored Schemes for which funds are to be utilized only after these are released by the concerned Union Ministries.
These directives were reiterated by the then Financial Commissioner of Agriculture Production Department Parmod Jain to the heads of all the wings of the department and to the Mission Directors and Nodal Officers of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes vide Government Order No.56-Agri of 2017 dated February 20, 2017 for ensuring strict compliance.
“However, it has been noticed by the Government that the Mission Directors/Nodal Officers dealing with various Centrally Sponsored Schemes in agriculture sector are not adhering to the conditions laid down in these two Government orders in letter and spirit”, sources said while disclosing that majority of the Mission Directors and Nodal Officers have been incurring expenditure on account of State Share without the availability of the Central Share.
Moreover, Mission Directors and Nodal Officers have also been found making excess expenditure on account of State Share corresponding to Central Share resulting into violation of sharing pattern of various Centrally Sponsored Schemes, sources said while dubbing this activity on the part of these officers as serious financial irregularity, which may lead to liabilities for the Agriculture Department.
The Centrally Sponsored Schemes in the agriculture sector which are being implemented in Jammu and Kashmir are Rashtriya Krishi Vikas yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), National Mission on Agriculture Extension and Technology (NMAET), National Mission on Substainable Agriculture (NMSA), National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), NeGP-A, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Integrated Development of Sericulture Industry etc.
As per the sectoral allocations, share of Government of India under Centrally Sponsored Schemes for the current financial year is Rs 39489 lakh while as State share for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes is Rs 6178.39 lakh under State Sector besides huge amount has been earmarked under negotiated loans head.
Taking serious note of the non-adherence to the directives issued early this year, the Principal Secretary to Government, Agriculture Production Department Sundeep Kumar Nayak has dashed a communication to all the Mission Directors and Nodal Officers of the Centrally Sponsored Schemes to refrain from making expenditure on account of State Share without the availability of Central Share and incurring excess expenditure corresponding to Central Share.
“It is enjoined upon all the Mission Directors and Nodal Officers of Centrally Sponsored Schemes to adhere to the conditions laid down in the Government sanction orders in true letter and spirit”, read Circular No.64-Agri of 2017 dated October 25, 2017 issued by the Principal Secretary to Government, Agriculture Production Department.
Sources informed that the Principal Secretary in consultation with the Minister for Agriculture has decided to take action against those Mission Directors and Nodal Officers who will fail to maintain strict financial discipline.
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