*Admn Secys, DDCs asked to ensure financial discipline
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 20: Government has given go ahead for utilization of Capex Budget for the current financial year as approved by the District Development Boards (DDBs) with the directions for immediate release of funds to the executing agencies so as to ensure continuity in the implementation of the programmes and execution of works. However, authorization for utilization of funds under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Negotiated Loans would be given only after release of funds by the Union Ministries and Financial Institutions, which are awaited at present.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that Planning and Development Department has conveyed its authorization to the utilization of Capex Budget for 2015-16 as approved by the District Development Boards in respect of District Sector and as per the object-wise and scheme-wise break-up approved by the Planning and Development Department in respect of State Sector.
For regular schemes and State Share for Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the Planning and Development Department has authorized utilization of 75% of the funds while as it has conveyed that authorization in respect of Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Negotiated Loans, NABARD, LIC and REC would be given separately that too after the release of funds by the concerned Union Ministries and the Financial Institutions/ Finance Department, sources informed.
The Planning Department has made it clear to the Administrative Secretaries, Heads of the Departments and District Development Commissioners that no expenditure should be booked on de-silting, repairs, maintenance, repair of transformers, publicity, field functions/fairs etc under the Capital Expenditure Budget as the Revenue/Recurring Expenditure has completely been shifted to the Revenue Expenditure Budget of Finance Department.
“The expenditure in respect of externally aided projects is subject to the approval of Action Plans by the respective funding agencies and competent authority”, the Planning Department said in the Order No.126-PD of 2015, adding “the authorized amount will be available to meet the State Share for the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, Flagship Programmes and Negotiated Loans for approved schemes only within the prescribed limits and in no case the expenditure should exceed the prescribed State Share ceilings”.
In order to ensure continuity in the implementation of the programmes/execution of works, the Planning and Development Department has asked the Administrative Departments to effect further release of funds to their Head of Departments/executing agencies immediately. “The Administrative Departments may claim revalidation of non-lapsable funds received under various Centrally Sponsored Schemes/Central Sector Schemes and available with the Finance Department as unspent funds to incur expenditure on approved ongoing schemes subject to the ceiling as prescribed in the administrative approval accorded by the competent authority”, the order further said.
To ensure that no further liabilities are created for the Government, the Planning and Development Department has made it clear that execution of works should be taken up strictly for the approved schemes so that no liability is created. “Financial discipline is required to be ensured in the system as reiterated by the Chief Minister a number of times particularly during the District Development Board meetings”, the Planning Secretary has stressed in the order.
He has further stressed that all necessary administrative approvals and technical sanctions should be obtained prior to the execution of works/projects, adding “in case of cost revision, the necessary revised administrative approvals should be obtained from the competent authority for incurring expenditure”.
The Planning Secretary has made it clear that authorization shall not be applicable in case of projects under “Tied Grants” for which specific proposals are required to be submitted to the Central Government for release of funds under various programmes.
Follow our WhatsApp channel