* Seeks ATRs on previous Budget announcements
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Sept 26: The PDP-BJP Coalition Government has set into motion the process for preparation of Budget for 2018-19 financial year, which is likely to be presented in the State Legislature in the first week of January 2018. The department-wise discussions on the proposals will start from November 7 so as to complete the entire exercise by second week of December 2017. Moreover, the Government has sought Action Taken Reports (ATRs) from the departments on the announcements made in the Budget for current financial year.
“The Government has made up its mind to present Budget in the State Legislature in the first week of January 2018 and accordingly the Finance Department contemplates to accomplish the process of budget preparation by 2nd week of December 2017”, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
All the Administrative Departments and Heads of the Departments have been asked to immediately start Budget preparation exercise for the year 2018-19 to enable examination, compilation and consolidation of these estimates in the Administrative Departments for onward submission of the same to the Finance Department.
The Finance Department has asked all the Administrative Departments to ensure due scrutiny of estimates and forward their recommendations to the Finance Department not later than October 10, 2017, sources said while disclosing that schedule for Budget discussions has also been worked out and deliberations will start from November 7, 2017 so as to complete the entire exercise by second week of December 2017.
They informed that discussions on proposals of the Kashmir based Heads of Departments, Deputy Commissioners and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Leh and Kargil will be held through video conferencing from winter capital of the State while as Administrative Secretaries and Jammu based Heads of Departments will join these discussions on fixed date and time in the Finance Department.
According to the sources, Finance Department has also written to all the departments seeking Action Taken Reports (ATRs) on the previous Budget announcements much ahead of the scheduled date of discussions so that progress in translating the announcements into reality could be ascertained for passing necessary directions.
As per the set of instructions issued by the Principal Secretary to Government, Finance Department, Navin Choudhary, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR, the Finance Department has been noticing huge variations in the actual expenditure of the proceeding year as shown by Accountant General J&K and in the Annual Finance Account. Taking serious note of this, the Finance Department has directed that proper care should be taken by the departments to reflect the correct and duly reconciled expenditure.
As under Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2006, the information on the State Government liabilities is required to be published along with Budget documents, the Finance Department has sought budgetary liabilities (outstanding at end-March), details of guarantees given by the Administrative Departments, assessed fiscal risk of such State Government guarantees, off-Budget borrowings by the departments, liabilities of Public Sector Undertakings, subsidies provided by the departments and other implicit liabilities (including pension liabilities).
“Complete details shall be provided in respect of all schemes in which cost is shared by the Centre including 100% Central Schemes giving details of utilization of funds received in the previous and current year, those expected in the current and next year along with the status of claims lodged for reimbursement against the expenditure already incurred so far”, the Finance Department has explicitly told the Administrative Departments.
Stating that Revised Estimates and the Budget Estimates should be prepared for sanctioned posts only, the Finance Department has issued directions for furnishing categoric certificate by all the Administrative Departments, which should seek such certificates from each Head of the Department/ other controlling officer. “Comparative statements of change in sanctioned strength during 2018-19 as compared to 2017-18 should also be prepared”, read the instructions, adding “no creation of posts shall be anticipated and budgeted for either in Revised Estimates or in Estimates for ensuring financial year”.
The Administrative Departments have also been asked to furnish details of number of regularized daily wagers who have been adjusted against normal vacancies so far along with details regarding further regularization of Daily Rated Workers approved during current financial year.
As far as purchase of motor vehicles by the departments is concerned, the instructions read: “Proposals should be supported by the number of vehicles available with the departments and supporting details in the absence of which departments will be liable for adhoc cut in the provisions. Moreover, departments should come up with proposals for hiring of vehicles instead of making purchases if such a measure can mean economy of expenditure”.
Even details vis-a-vis expenditure under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme of Union Ministry of Home Affairs and relief operations have also been sought from the concerned departments.
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