Third party inspections to be conducted of high-value works
*Officers warned against creating liability, flouting GFR
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 28: To ensure timely execution of developmental works during the current financial year, the Government has accorded sanction to the release of 50% budget under District Capex in favour of all District Development Commissioners, who have also been directed to release the funds to the Sectoral Officers within a period of one week from the date of authorization of funds by the Finance Department.
Moreover, the District Development Commissioners have been clearly told to ensure that each work is 100% physically verified and third party test inspections are conducted in respect of high value works.
“Sanction is accorded to the release of 50% budget under District Capex in favour of all District Development Commissioners in respect of Regular UT Component, DDC Grants, BDC Grants and PRI Grants”, reads an order issued by Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner Finance Department.
It has been made clear to all the District Development Commissioners (DDCs) that no works shall be commenced or liability incurred until administrative approval has been obtained from the appropriate authority in each case; sanction to incur expenditure has been obtained from the competent authority; a properly detailed design has been sanctioned; funds to cover the charge during the year have been provided and tenders invited and processed in accordance with rules.
“Each work should be 100% physically verified and third party test inspections shall be conducted in respect of high value works”, the Financial Commissioner Finance said, adding “the DDCs shall ensure that the exercise of e-tendering is carried out in a time bound manner and all the tendering processes ensured as per General Financial Rules (GFR)”.
The executing agencies have been explicitly told to ensure that the component of Land Compensation form the part of the technically vetted Detailed Project Reports and funds for the component released as part of the project. The DDCs have been clearly told that they should ensure release of funds to the Sectoral officers within a period of one week from the date of authorization of funds by the Finance Department. Moreover, BEAMS Administrator has been asked to report compliance to the Finance Department on monthly basis.
Stating that expenditure should be strictly in accordance with General Financial Rules 2017 and Manual for Procurement of Works, 2019, the Government said that all the procurements of Goods and Services should 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.
Cautioning against diversion of funds under any pretext unless expressly authorized by the Finance Department, the Government has directed all the DDCs to monitor the expenditure statements on BEAMS and furnish the same before 5th of following month for monthly review by the Finance Department.
It has been made clear that Treasury Officers will be held personally liable for making any payment not authorized and accepted on BEAMS application. “The DDCs shall ensure that the expenditure out of the allotted funds is made in stipulated timeframe within the quarters for which the funds have been released”, reads the order.
Further, all the DDCs have been asked to ensure uniform pace of expenditure during the financial year 2021-22 and the overall ceiling of 30% expenditure shall be maintained during the last quarter of the financial year. “The expenditure during the last month of the financial year should be restricted to 15% of the budget allocation”, the order said.
Stating that the execution of works should be taken up strictly for the approved activities only within the approved cost and no liability shall be created, the Government has conveyed that controlling officers will be personally responsible for any liability created on account of unapproved/unauthorized works, adding “the projects/schemes should be executed and completed strictly within the timeline as stipulated in the tender document and as fixed by the competent authority”.
“The ban on engagement on casual workers, need based workers, daily wagers etc shall continue to be in force and all the development/Capex release order issued by the DDCs to the respective Sectoral Officers shall invariably have the condition that the departments shall refrain from making fresh engagements under projects/schemes”, the Financial Commissioner Finance Department said.
Moreover, it has been explicitly conveyed that funds should not be utilized for the schemes/projects approved for funding through Jammu and Kashmir Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation under languishing project scheme.
The executing agencies have been told to comply with the standing guidelines, instructions and restrictions regarding COVID-19 pandemic during execution of works.
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