Slackness to delay release of Capex Budget funds, expenditure
*FC Finance gives last opportunity of 2 days only
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 22: Majority of the Government departments in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have failed to meet the deadline for the submission of Work Plans despite being aware of the fact that slackness will lead to delay in release of funds under Capex Budget and subsequent expenditure.
In order to accelerate pace of development in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha approved release of 50% of Capex Budget including District Capex on first day of financial year—April 1, 2021.
Accordingly, detailed instructions were issued by Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Financial Commissioner, Finance Department vide Government Order No.121-F dated April 1, 2021 for strict compliance by all the departments.
It was specifically mentioned in the order that release of funds through BEAMS (Budget, Estimation, Allocation and Monitoring System) as well as expenditure will be subject to furnishing of Work Plans (project/activity wise) duly approved by the competent authority.
It was further mentioned in the order that all the Directors Finance, Directors Planning, Financial Advisors, Chief Accounts Officers and Joint Directors Planning of all the administrative departments will be personally responsible for furnishing of Work Plans with the approval of the competent authority by or before April 15, 2021.
Though deadline fixed by the Finance Department is over yet majority of the Government departments have not furnished the Work Plans till date and this has been admitted by the Financial Commissioner Finance Dr Arun Kumar Mehta through a formal order.
“In terms of order dated April 1, 2021 the Administrative Departments were advised to furnish Work Plans by April 15, 2021. However, there is no compliance from most of the departments so far”, read the order issued today. In this way, the departments are creating impediments in the expeditious release of funds and subsequent expenditure and defeating the objective behind approval of 50% of Capex Budget including District Capex on first day of financial year by the Lieutenant Governor.
In order to facilitate the fast track uploading of Work Plans by the departments on BEAMS—an online computerized web-based application for preparation and authorization of budget and subsequent release of funds, the Finance Department has informed all the Administrative Departments that access of “Work Entry” on BEAMS portal has been made available at department level.
Accordingly, the Financial Commissioner Finance Department has asked all the Administrative Secretaries to ensure that the project/activity wise duly approved Work Plans of their respective departments are uploaded on BEAMS portal by or before April 25, 2021 so that funds can be released through BEAMS at the earliest.
As per the Government instructions, all the District Development Commissioners are required to furnish the District Plans (project/activity wise) in consultation with the Panchayati Raj Institutions, Block Development Councils and District Development Councils of the concerned district preferable by the end of April but not later than May 5, 2021.
“As the Administrative Secretaries have been allotted districts and are also the mentors of the District Development Commissioners they should ensure submission of Work Plans by their respective departments within the latest time-frame fixed by the Financial Commissioner Finance and at the same time ensure strict compliance to the deadline fixed for the District Development Commissioners”, sources stressed.
“It would be only with the timely submission of Work Plans and District Plans that objective behind sanctioning of 50% Capex Budget and District Capex on the first date of the financial year can be achieved as such there should not be any further slackness at any level in the administration”, sources further said.
As per the Government instructions, the Work Plans are required to be supported with the impact report indicating the number of works to be completed during the financial year 2021-22 and number of people to be benefitted.
Moreover, the departments are required to include only such ongoing and new works in the Work Plans which are expected to be completed during the year 2021-22 itself or at the most in succeeding year. Only rarely a project should be undertaken involving more than two financial years, read the instructions.
In the case of District Plan, only such works are required to be taken which can be completed during the financial year 2021-22.
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