PAG conveys concern to admn, Govt warns of action
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 11: Rs 36220 crore worth Abstract Contingent (AC), Detailed Contingent (DC) and Grant-in-Aid (GIA) bills are pending for settlement with the departments of Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Principal Accountant General has conveyed concern over the prevailing situation to the Finance Department.
Now, the Government has warned of appropriate action in case of further slackness in submission of bills and Utilization Certificates for settlement and Director General Accounts and Treasuries will review the situation with the Director Finance, Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officers of all the Administrative Departments tomorrow.
The list of outstanding AC Bills and Grant-in-Aid Bills was provided to the Administrative Departments from time to time since January 2023 for submission of Red Detailed Contingent Bills and Utilization Certificates against advance drawls and Grant-in-Aids in the office of Principal Accountant General for clearance of outstanding AC/DC/GIA Bills.
The progress against the clearance of outstanding AC/DC/GIA bills is being monitored by the Principal Secretary to Government, Finance Department on weekly basis. Even format for providing information has already been sent to all Director Finance and Financial Advisor and Chief Accounts Officers of the concerned Administrative Departments with regard to the progress achieved by the concerned department.
However, it has been observed that no information has been provided by the concerned Administrative Department which has created hindrance in providing information to the Principal Secretary to Government, Finance Department. This has been viewed seriously by the authorities, read a document, the copy of which is available with EXCELSIOR.
As per the document, the latest position of outstanding AC/Grant-in-Aid Bills has been provided by the office of the Principal Accountant General with huge outstanding up to September 2023. Even Senior Accounts Officer of the Principal Accountant General (PAG) has personally visited some of the Administrative Departments in this regard.
For quarter 6/2023 there was opening balance of Rs 19212 crore worth pending AC/DC bills and the closing balance was Rs 20678 crore. Likewise, for quarter 9/2023 there was opening balance of Rs 20678 crore and the closing balance was Rs 21327 crore. The clearance of the bills was far less than the addition of new bills in the list of pending ones.
As far as GIA Bills are concerned, for quarter 6/2023 there was opening balance of Rs 14273 crore and the closing balance was Rs 14001 crore. For quarter 9/2023, there was opening balance of Rs 14001 but the closing balance increased to Rs 14893 crore worth bills.
The Director General, Accounts and Treasuries, who has been specifically directed by the Principal Secretary, Finance Department to monitor the settlement and reconciliation of accounts, follow-up of the UCs and resolution of Audit Paras, has directed all the concerned to submit the AC/DC/GIA bills to the office of Principal Accountant General for settlement of outstanding against the department and furnish information on weekly basis for further submission to the higher authorities.
“Any laxity on this part will be brought to the notice of higher authorities for appropriate action”, read the communication of Director General, Accounts and Treasuries. Moreover, he is going to convene meeting of all the concerned officers tomorrow to review the situation.
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