Several CEOs, Directors brought in list of Major HoDs
Many officials substituted; others’ powers changed
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 26: Exercising powers conferred by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has delegated financial powers to more officers including Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Development Authorities and Directors for incurring Contingent Expenditure and Miscellaneous Expenditure.
Moreover, many officials who were earlier delegated such powers have been substituted by others and in respect of certain category of officers the financial powers have been changed from the level of Major Head of the Department to the Class-I officers.
Section 67 of the J&K Reorganization Act, 2019 which deals with Consolidated Fund of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir states: “The custody of such Consolidated Fund, the payment of moneys into such Funds, the withdrawal of moneys there from and all other matters connected with or ancillary to those matters shall be regulated by the Lieutenant Governor”.
While exercising this power, the Lieutenant Governor had in the month of December 2019 delegated his financial powers for incurring Contingent Expenditure and Miscellaneous Expenditure to the Administrative Departments, Major Heads of the Departments, Class-I, Class-II and Class-III officers.
Now, the Lieutenant Governor has carried out amendments in this order and delegated his financial powers to more officers including Chief Executive Officers of Development Authorities, Directors and Deputy Directors etc. Moreover, several officers who were delegated such powers have been substituted by other ranking officers.
As per the amendments, Director General, Economics and Statistics, Controller Legal Metrology, Director Tribal Affairs Kashmir/Jammu, Chief Executive Officer, Rajouri Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Dodhpathri Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Shopian-Dobjun-Peer-Ki-Gali Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Bani-Basohli Development Authority, Chief Executive Officer, Hygam-Ningli-Tarzo Development Authority and Director Handloom and Handicrafts have been brought in the list of officers who will exercise financial powers of Major Heads of Departments.
It is pertinent to mention here that while Chief Executive Officers of several other Development Authorities were delegated financial powers in the month of December 2019, these CEOs were kept out of the list for the reasons best known to the Government.
The Chief Executive Officer, Lakhanpur-Sarthal Development Authority has been substituted by Chief Executive Officer of Billawar-Duggan Development Authority while as Administrator, Associated Hospitals Srinagar/Jammu has been removed from the list of Major Heads of the Department and placed in the list of Class-I Officers.
As per the amendments, Deputy Commissioner, Food and Drugs Administration Jammu/ Kashmir and Regional Director, Evaluation and Statistics Jammu/Kashmir have also been brought in the list of Class-I officers as far as exercise of financial powers is concerned.
In the list of Class-II officers who were delegated financial powers earlier, the District Horticulture Officers have been substituted by Chief Horticulture Officers while as Deputy Director, Tribal Affairs Jammu/Kashmir and Deputy Director Handloom and Handicrafts have been added in the list.
The Lieutenant Governor has also substituted Commissioner of Vigilance by Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Chairman Subordinate Service Selection Board by Chairman J&K Service Selection Board, Director Technical Education by Director Skill Development and Sales Tax Commissioner by Commissioner State Taxes in the list of Major Heads of the Department keeping in view the change in the nomenclature of the departments/posts.
All those officers who have been delegated financial powers by the Lieutenant Governor will exercise the same while ensuring strict adherence to all Codal Formalities as per the provisions laid down in General Financial Rules (GFR) read with the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019 and other instructions/guidelines issued by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir till date.
The financial powers have been delegated in respect of unspecified items (recurring), unspecified items, conveyance hire, reimbursement of conveyance charges, purchase of furniture, freight and demurrage/ wharfage charges, legal charges, maintenance, upkeep and repair of vehicles, execution of repairs and day to day maintenance of Govt buildings, to sanction rent for accommodation of officers and other public institutions in private buildings required for non-residential purpose etc.
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