Disbursement of Salaries: Govt issues series of instructions to ensure fiscal discipline
Principal Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 02: To ensure fiscal discipline and proper budget management, the Government today issued a series of instructions regarding disbursement of the salaries of employees.
“In terms of J&K Budget Manual, the salary budget is allocated only for the sanctioned staff strength. However, it has been noticed that departments are projecting requirements of funds for disbursement of salaries under various innovative nomenclatures,” said an order issued by the Principal Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary here this evening.
Quoting instances which go in violation of the Financial Rules and Regulations, the order said that the Education Department is projecting salary requirement against “overall cadre strength” which is a wrong practice.
It said the creation of posts in any Department is an area/ institution/office specific one, approved by the Cabinet with the prior concurrence of the Finance Department. “The abolition or transfer of the posts from one area to another, from one office to another is also the prerogative of the Government except wherever specifically provided under any rule or order,” it said adding that the transfer and posting of a Government employee from rural areas against the nonexistent post (against Overall Cadre Strength) in urban areas is not only loaded with the risk of payment of higher emoluments, but also prone to additional appointments against the posts left vacant due to such transfers.
According to the order, the problem for projection of funds over and above cadre strength also arises due to posting/joining and transfer of officers/officials to offices where no sanctioned post exists. “Again, it has been seen that the problem mainly persists in the Education and Health Department,” it said.
“In this background, it is enjoined upon all the Administrative Secretaries to ensure strict compliance to basic principles and rules and to ensure that the salary of the employees is drawn only against the sanctioned posts, which shall include deputation/ leave reserve posts also,” the order said adding that the Government servants engaged against non-existent posts (against Overall Cadre Strength) should not be paid at city rates at all.
“Wherever transfers are made at the insistence of the employees, the salary and allowances of all such Government officials should be drawn as he/she was drawing in the earlier posting,” it said and added that all Heads of Offices, Director Finance/ FA&CAO/DDOs of the respective Departments shall closely monitor any deviation of the directions issued in this regard and should stop such practices if still in vogue in their Departments.
It said wherever salary is drawn over and above the sanctioned strength of the posts, such drawl shall be construed as illegal and the authorities involved in drawing such salary in the garb of “overall cadre strength” shall face serious disciplinary proceedings.
The order further enjoined upon all the departments to ensure that no expenditure is booked under ‘salary’ by any Government office unless the same has been budgeted for and the entry relating to the posts figures in the form B-4 and other related statements. The number of posts in B-4 of any office should confirm its sanctioned strength.
If on account of implementation of Court Orders etc the Departments are constrained to release arrears without budget, the same should be specifically shown in the Revised Estimates, it said adding that the posts belonging to an office should not be arbitrarily transferred from one office to another. “Even if the Departments require re-deploying employees, the salary should continue to be drawn from parent office only,” it said.
Removal of Pay Anomalies: Finance Department issues formal SRO
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 02: Following the decision of the State Administrative Council (SAC) headed by Governor Shri N N Vohra, regarding removal of Pay Anomalies, J&K Government today issued formal orders for revision of the pay scales of the Clerical Cadre in the State.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by proviso to Section-124 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, the Governor is pleased to direct that suitable amendments in the relevant Recruitment Rules shall be made by the concerned Departments to give effect to the up-gradation of Pay Levels of Clerical Cadre posts with effect from 01-05-2018,” said SRO-333 issued by the Principal Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary here this evening.
According to the SRO, the pay level of Junior Assistants, Key Punch Operators (Planning, Monitoring & Development Department) and Assistant Compilers (J&K Funds Organization) has been upgraded from the existing Pay Level 2 (19900-63200) to Level 4 (25500-81100).
The pay level of Steno-Typists, Compilers (J&K Funds Organization, Senior Assistants and Jr Statistical Assistants has been upgraded from existing Pay Level 4 (25500-81100) to Level 5 (29200-92300).
Similarly, the pay level of Head Assistants, Statistical Assistants, Jr Scale Stenographers, Jr Legal Assistants and Senior Compilers (J&K Funds Organization) has been upgraded from Existing Pay Level 6 (35400-112400) to Level 6B (35600-112800).
According to the SRO, the pay in the upgraded Pay Level shall be fixed in terms of sub-rule (2) of Rule-7 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Revised) Pay Rules, 2018.
It said in respect of the posts of Junior Assistants/Senior Assistants, incentive equal to two increments at the time of passing of Secretariat Assistant Examination shall not be admissible in the upgraded Pay Levels with effect from 01-05-2018.
It further said that the cases already settled in this regard shall not be re-opened.
