Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 26: In a strange development, the State Treasuries have stopped accepting the Government dues and receipts, being deposited individually under respective heads of Revenue, Health and Labour Departments.
Citing technical reasons, the Director General Accounts and Treasuries has asked these Departments to collect such Government dues and receipts at their own and thereafter deposit the consolidated amount in concerned treasury with detailed classification.
Since the concerned departments have not geared up for adopting the new system and are unable to collect the cash receipts owing to practical reasons, general people are the ultimate sufferers.
‘All the Administrative Departments are impressed upon to direct the HoDs, Controlling Officers and subordinate DDOs under their administrative control to collect such Government dues and receipts at their own level and thereafter deposit the consolidated amount in the concerned treasury with detailed classification with effect from April 1, 2014 onwards,’ says a circular, issued by the Director General Accounts and Treasuries, Finance Department.
As per this circular, number DGAT/T-Adm/MISC/05/257, dated 17-04-2014, the individual depositing of Government dues and receipts in the State treasuries, particularly under Major Heads ; 0029, 0210 and 0230 was creating trouble for the Treasury Officers owing to non-availability of DDO code and detailed classification resulting in inappropriate accounting of such receipts.
Besides, the system is fraught with risk as reconciliation of these receipts is neither conducted nor possible to be conducted by the DDOs with the Treasuries, the circular explains.
Pertinent to mention here that Major Heads 0029, 0210 and 0230 in Government Treasury belong to the Departments of Revenue, Health and Labour, respectively. The Government receipts for issuance of Revenue documents, fee for renewal of Naga form Chemist shop license etc are individually deposited under these Heads.
However, following new directions and issuance of the circular, the Treasuries have stopped accepting these Government dues and receipts individually whereas on the other hand, the concerned departments are not equipped with the required staff for handling the situation.
With the result, sources said, general people are facing trouble as their due receipts are neither accepted by Treasuries nor the concerned departments.
“We don’t have required staff like a cashier and proper chest to accept the cash receipts on daily basis and keeping the entire record besides conducting verification of the same with concerned treasuries on monthly basis,” explained a senior officer of the Revenue Department on the condition of anonymity.
Even as the Director General Treasuries, in his circular, claims that the existing system is being changed in order to streamline the process and ensure appropriate accounting of all Government dues and receipts, sources pointed out the greater risks were involved in the same.
It may be recalled that earlier also, there was practice of depositing cash receipt directly with the concerned department but the system was changed after a number of embezzlements were detected. These embezzlements were mostly done by printing fake GRs, which were issued to the depositors.
When contacted, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Shantmanu admitted that the Government departments were not geared up for the new system. “Since the matter pertains to the Finance Department, I will take up the issue with the Principal Secretary Finance for necessary corrections and directions in this regard so that people may not suffer,” he told the Excelsior.
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