WE THE PEOPLE
Despite clear Guidelines, SWD has failed to recover Loan of Rs 3.10 crore from two Corporations
Hence People urge Govt., to initiate action against Defaulters to safeguard State Exchequer
By: MNS/Shirjeel
Srinagar: In our Part 4th, we have stated that the Social Welfare Department is responsible for implementation of various developmental schemes, especially those relating to women, children, SC/ST/OBC population and social justice empowerment. However, it has been pointed out that the District Social Welfare Officers retained assistance of Rs. 78.15 crore for periods ranging between seven and 366 days despite recommendations of Public Accounts Committee to evolve a mechanism for timely disbursement of assistance. Even the utilization certificates for Rs. 27.76 crore were awaited from various Bodies. There were huge unspent balances in banks at the end of each financial year due to non-disbursement of assistance to the beneficiaries in time.
It may be mentioned that the Social Welfare Schemes introduced in the State are to be implemented through action plans framed by the Department in which yearly targets are set after taking into consideration the achievements made in earlier years. The annual plans at State level are to be prepared by the Department on the basis of the planning exercise conducted by the sub-ordinate offices. With a view to enable the State Government to provide adequate budget grants annually for implementation of various State/Centrally sponsored schemes, identification of eligible beneficiaries at grass root level forms the basis for preparation of action plans and is arguably the most crucial pre-requisite for the successful implementation of the schemes.
Pertinent to state that Financial rules provide that the expenditure figures booked by the controlling officers on the basis of statements furnished by each Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) are to be reconciled periodically with those booked by the Accountant General (A&E) to exercise control over expenditure and to maintain a check against frauds, embezzlements/misappropriations, etc. Such reconciliation had not been conducted for the period from January 2008 to March 2009 by the Director, Social Welfare, Jammu. The delay in conducting reconciliation of first three quarters of 2007-08 ranged between 66 days to 152 days.
Financial rules provide that expenditure should be evenly distributed throughout the year. Bu test-check has shown that in 21 DSWOs: 8; CDPOs: 11; POs: 2 offices, the percentage of expenditure incurred during the last quarter of the years (2005-09) has ranged between 42 and 56. The expenditure incurred during March of these years was also very high and ranged between 14 and 62 per cent of the total expenditure in respect of 29 DSWOs: 12; CDPOs: 17 (Jammu: 11; Kashmir: 18) out of the 35 test-checked offices. Rush of expenditure was attributed by the DSWOs/CDPOs to procedural delay in allotment of funds and bulk release of funds in the fourth quarter of the year. No steps seem to have been taken by the Department/Controlling Officers in working out arrangements with the GOI/State Government/sub-ordinate offices to ensure even distribution of expenditure. Timely release of funds could avoid accumulation of huge balances in bank accounts to no purpose and ensure assistance to the beneficiaries, in time.
A detailed scrutiny has shown that Rs. 1.50 crore drawn by the Department on 31st March 2006 for release of Corporation Jammu and Kashmir Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe/Other Backward Class Development (Rs. 1.25 crore) and J&K State Social Welfare Board (Rs. 25 lakh) were converted into Hundies Promissory notes to avoid lapse of funds. The Department has stated that the bills preferred at the treasuries for making cash payment were converted into Hundies by the Finance Department without assigning any reason.
The Administrative Department had released Rs, 2.05 crore during 2005-08 to J&K State Women's Development Corporation (Rupees one crore) and J&K SC/ST/OBC Corporation (Rs. 1.05 crore) as loan for disbursing salary/wages of the employees. The loan, recoverable in 20 equal quarterly installments, carried simple interest at 15 per cent per annum. In case of default, the Corporations were liable to pay penal interest at three per cent per annum in cash or, alternately, the amounts due to the Corporations were to be deducted to release budgetary support due to them. The Department, however, continued to release budgetary support to the Corporations each year without deducting the actual recoverable amounts. The Department has stated that the matter would be taken up with the Corporation. (To be continued)
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