Srinagar, June 10: The old practices of submitting bogus documentation and drawing crores of rupees from J&K’s exchequer by various departments and district administrations may be a thing of the past with the Finance Department taking a tough stand on bogus documentation for funds release requests.
Senior officials in the Finance Department told Ziraat Times that they have refused to approve various ongoing works of various departments under Capex and District Capex Budgets and that payments have been withheld for inadequate or bogus supporting documentation.
“What has been done is that the concerned Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) have been asked to strictly comply to the guidelines within a week’s time failing which funds will not be released”, the official said.
Earlier, the Finance Department in a communication addressed to the Administrative Secretaries and District Development Commissioners has mentioned that it has rejected payment approvals for various ongoing works/activities to the DDOs/Departments through Rejection Module on BEAMS portal on the basis of discrepancies noticed in documents — Administrative Approval, Technical Sanction, Proof photographs uploaded by the DDOs while preferring the bills through JKPaySys and PROOF App.
The communication further said that “the DDOs have been provided with the access on BEAMS portal, an application for online budgeting and flow of resources, to carry out the necessary rectification by uploading the valid documents, photographs and information against each rejected ongoing work/activity under Capex Budget including the District Capex”.
Accordingly, the Finance Department has directed all the Administrative Secretaries and District Development Commissioners to ensure uploading of valid documents of Administrative Approval, Technical Sanction, geo-tagged photographs and information against each rejected ongoing work/activity on BEAMS portal in a time bound manner preferable within a week’s time positively so that funds can be authorized accordingly.
“Uploading of invalid documents/photographs or information against the rejected works/activities will again lead to rejection and the repeated rejections will result into permanent blocking of the work/activity by the system thereby debarring the work/activity for further release of funds”, the Finance Department has made it clear, adding “under such circumstances the concerned DDOs will be personally liable for any kind of default on this account”.
The Finance Department has further made it clear that DDOs, who are again found uploading invalid documents/photographs or information on the BEAMS portal will face strict action as warranted under Rules.
Pertinently, for many years, especially in the aftermath of the 1990s, hundreds and thousands of crores have been misappropriated in the government sector by officials by claiming payments for works either never undertaken or done at a much smaller scale and scope than claimed through payment requests. With BEAMS in place, corrupt and incompetent officials are under scanner and may find it harder to misappropriate public funds.
