DCs, various Deptts having accounts in banks other than JKB
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, July 21: In contravention of the Finance Department’s instructions, a number of officers of the J&K Government, Public Sector Undertakings and Development authorities are holding the official accounts in some private banks, instead of J&K Bank.
Notwithstanding the standing instructions that the official accounts opened in banks other than J&K Bank should be closed forthwith and the balance shall be transferred to accounts in J&K Bank, official accounts in other than J&K Banks are continuously being operated by the Drawing and Disbursing officers, in deviation of the instructions.
Sources told the Excelsior that majority of such official accounts are with two prominent private banks and crores of rupees are still deposited in these accounts without any disciplinary action against the erring officer.
A list of such account numbers with different private banks is in possession of the Excelsior, according to which, officers of different departments as well as some Deputy Commissioners have the official accounts in private banks of their choice for the reasons best known to them.
According to the sources, some of these officers are having official accounts in more than one bank, including J&K Bank also for allegedly misleading the Finance Department in case any disciplinary action is initiated against the concerned for deviation of the standing instructions.
Rural Development Department, Swachh Bharat Mission, Social Welfare Department, PHE, Police Housing Corporation, Relief and Rehabilitation, Nazool, MGNREGA, J&K Housing Board, SC ST & BC Development Corporation, Controller of Examination Jammu University, Director CDC JU, J&K Small Scale Industries Development Corporation, Jammu Municipal Corporation Srinagar Municipal Corporation are among the Government departments and agencies, which are having accounts in private banks.
Even the funds under Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, MPLAP, Relief Fund, Model School and Gram Panchayats have also been kept in the private banks, which can be easily influenced to act as per directions of the concerned officer, sources alleged.
The Government officers, who are having official accounts in private banks, include Deputy Commissioners of various districts in Jammu and Kashmir, Director Tourism Jammu, Director Urban Local Bodies Jammu, Assistant Commissioner Development, Chief Executive Officer MC Katra, Assistant Commissioner Development Kathua, Assistant Commissioner Development Jammu, District Panchayat Officers, Block Development Officers, Executive Engineers, Tehsildars and others.
It may be recalled that in a circular, issued by the Finance Department, J&K Government, vide number DGAT/PS/DR/29, dated 23-01-2020, all the officers, including DDO of the Government, Corporations, Public Sector Undertakings and other Development Authorities were directed for opening of official accounts in the Jammu and Kashmir Bank with further instruction that the official accounts opened in banks other than JKB shall be closed forthwith and the balance shall be transferred to accounts in J&K Bank by or before 31-01-2020.
As per the circular, the officers were directed to report the compliance to Finance Department through their respective Administrative Department and stern disciplinary action was warned in case of deviation of the instruction in this regard.
However, even after more than five months since the standing instructions by the Finance Department, the private banks are having functional accounts under the name of Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Relief Fund, Managing Director J&K Police Housing Corporation, Office of the SDM Jammu North, Special Commissioner Relief Coordination, SDM Marh, SDM Chowki Choura, SDM Akhnoor, SDM Khour, SDM R S Pura, SDM Jammu South, E-Rent Income Tax A/C, MGNREGA Administrative Expenses, Jammu Medical Relief Society, RURBAN Mission Jammu, Assistant Commissioner Development Doda, ACD Budgam, ACD Anantnag and others.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
