* At the
end of financial year 2013-14, various departments were yet to submit
1,14,753 utilisation certificates worth Rs 71,563 crore
By Kartik Lokhande
After
a long spell of financial indiscipline, non-submission of utilisation
certificates for funds released, and indecision over action against
those involved in misappropriation of funds, finally the Finance
Department of Maharashtra Government has decided to act tough.
Finance
Department has slammed other departments over financial indiscipline
and has asked the officials of these departments to take seriously the
objections raised by the office of Accountant General (AG) of
Maharashtra. It has expressed strong displeasure over administrative
departments not following the laid-down procedure. Drawing and
Disbursing Officers of many a department have withdrawn huge amounts but
have not furnished details of utilisation. As on March 31, 2014, all
departments put together were yet to furnish details of utilisation of
Rs 1,029.27 crore in 7,943 cases of withdrawals.
However, despite
repeated reminders, most of the departments have not taken the matter
seriously. Acting tough, Finance Department has asked the departments
concerned to call clarification in this regard from the officers
concerned within 15 days. Still, states a circular issued by Finance
Department, if the officers fail to furnish details of expenditure, the
departments concerned should initiate disciplinary action against them.
At any cost, the departments have to furnish details of expenditure to
AG office by December 31, 2014.
Further, various departments have
not submitted utilisation certificates to AG office. Shockingly, as many
as 1,14,753 utilisation certificates worth Rs 71,563 crore were yet to
be submitted to AG office at the end of financial year 2013-14, as on
March 31, 2014. Taking a serious cognisance of this, Finance Department
has asked departments concerned to submit pending utilisation
certificates to AG office by November 9.
Based upon the experience
so far, Finance Department has asked the administrative departments to
furnish statement of pending details of expenditure and corrective
action taken. While furnishing the said statement, the departments will
have to furnish information related to their subordinate offices also.
As a matter of bringing in financial discipline, now, the departments
have been asked to close down Personal Ledger Accounts opened without
prior approval of Finance Department. At the start of current financial
year, there were as many as 6,500 Personal Ledger Accounts of
Maharashtra Government departments.
Further, the departments have
been asked to surrender the funds remaining unspent at the end of
financial year 2013-14. The departments concerned will have to surrender
to the Government the amount of interest accrued on funds lying unspent
in the banks. The current interest also will have to be deposited with
the Treasury Department through challan. Henceforth, the departments
have been advised not to withdraw funds from Treasury Department if not
required.
‘Lodge FIR in cases of misappropriation’
Finance
Department has asked the departments to lodge First Information Report
against the officials concerned in cases of misappropriation of funds,
and submit case-wise report. Some of such cases are pending for as long a
period as 10 to 25 years. In such cases, a review must be taken at the
earliest and appropriate action should be initiated to ensure speedier
disposal.
(Published in The Hitavada CityLine on October 30, 2014)
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