Probe instances of unauthorized, wasteful expenditure: Govt to officers
By: Ibni Maqbool
Srinagar: In a significant development, the administration of Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory on Tuesday directed its top officers to investigate instances of unauthorized, irregular and wasteful expenditure.
J&K’s Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner, Finance department Arun Kumar Mehta today advised administrative secretaries to direct their subordinate officers to avoid unauthorized, irregular and wasteful expenditure in execution of works, procurement of goods & services.
“In terms of Rule 70 of GFR 2017, the administrative secretary of the department shall be responsible and accountable for financial management of his department and to ensure that the department follows Government procurement procedure for execution of works, as well as, for procurement of services and supplies,” reads the circular, a copy of which is lying with The Precious Kashmir.
These guideline have been unveiled to enforce financial discipline and curb wasteful and unauthorized expenditure. The CS has directed officers that effective steps need to be taken to ensure that unauthorized, irregular and wasteful expenditure is avoided.
“The occurrence of such expenditure must be immediately reported and investigated without delay to determine the validity thereof. The recoverability of the unauthorized, irregular or wasteful expenditure must also be considered . Non-compliance of this will result in appropriate disciplinary procedure against the concerned officers/ officials,” the circular states.
The guidelines have been issued after instances of wasteful expenditure incurred by the departments have come into the notice of the Finance Department while conducting audit of different offices.
“In a number of such cases the execution of works has been left halfway after incurring a significant amount of expenditure with no tangible outcome. Some works have been abandoned half way due to land dispute or due to lack of clearances, etc. Instances of materials procured but not utilized, machines/ equipment lying idle, advances issued but the materials not been received have also been noticed,” read the circular.
As already reported by this newspaper, the Chief Secretary last week directed administrative secretaries to initiate the exercise of identifying non-performing employees.
The CS has directed all the administrative secretaries to initiate the exercise of reviewing the performance of each government servant who has completed 48 years of age/ 22 years of service for identifying the employees who are ineffective in work.
