J&K govt warns officials against exceeding budget provisions

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday warned officials of disciplinary action if any department`s expenditure exceeded budgetary allocations and directed them to strictly observe Treasury Code and financial discipline.

"We warn of disciplinary action against those Treasury Officers, and Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) who will exceed the budget provisions," J&K Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs Abdul Rahim Rather said today. Speaking at a review meeting of the Accounts and Treasury Department of Jammu Division, he directed strict observance of Treasury Code and financial discipline. He urged Treasury Officers and CTOs to ensure that in no case payment in any treasury exceeds the budget allocations. The Minister directed them to maintain the budget control registers, adding that any violation of the directive would be viewed seriously. He also instructed the Treasury Officers to ensure timely rendition of monthly accounts to the office of the Principal Accountant General, emphasising that these accounts should be complete and error free in all aspects. The Minister, while underscoring the vital role of the Accounts and Treasuries Department, said treasuries are the face of the Finance Department and its working reflects on the performance of the government. He said Treasury Officers have a pivotal role towards enforcing fiscal discipline. Referring to the fake appointment case, Rather asked Treasury Officers to properly check pay bills of all the departments before clearing them. He asked them to check financial irregularities and provisions of financial code. The Minister instructed concerned officers to conduct regular administrative inspection while Treasury Officers have been authorised to carry out inspections of their subordinate treasuries. He directed early completion of physical verification of the pensioners to avoid any inconvenience. He directed clearance of Red Accounts and reconciliation of revenue stamps. The Minister asked officials to identify land for construction of treasury offices in places where the department lacks such facility.