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| Austerity: Govt orders cut on costs of its running | | No spending beyond budgetary provisions | | ZAFAR CHOUDHARY
Jammu, Dec 10: Barely days after announcing an employment policy which expected to cost the exchequer around Rs 250 Crore a year that too without making many happy, the government today announced a slew of austerity measures in its existing machinery to cut down costs of running the government.
A circular issued by the Finance Department has gone quite tough on a range of fronts including the purchase of electricity beyond the budgetary measures. The order strictly prohibits the Power Development Department from purchasing any electricity beyond what is budgeted for and in case of urgent requirements the department has been told to go for peak hour cuts. This is perhaps first time when government has gone tough on power sector which is normally seen as a populist measure, particularly on winters.
The order also talks tough about the use of vehicles and phones by the officers but the Ministers and legislators seem to have been spared in this category. A ten per cent cut has been ordered in ceiling on use of phones while officers have been asked to surrender all the vehicles beyond entitlement. This, however, has not been said about the Ministers who usually run along a large cavalcade of vehicles drawn from Garages Department and the departments they head.
An embargo has been put on exhibitions and marts organized by various departments in foreign countries. Only those events in this category can be organized which are fully funded by the center. Foreign tours have also been put under tight scrutiny of an empowered committee.
Finance department has asked all departments to restrict the release of Non-Plan Budget to 90% of the Budget Estimates in respect of all object heads of expenditure except Salaries/Migrant salaries, Stipend and Scholarship, Leave encashment, electric/Power Charges, Purchase of Drugs, Wages and Medical Reimbursement.
Requests for seeking additional provisions in ‘Revised Estimates’ shall be discouraged, says the circular. However, in case of inescapable additional requirement under one object head of expenditure, the same will be counter-balanced by effecting corresponding reduction of equal order under any other object head (s) of expenditure. No re-appropriation orders shall be considered by the finance Department, except under very extraordinary and compelling circumstances.
No fresh expenditure proposals on items outside the approved budgetary provisions shall be brought during the course of current financial year and the same will be deffered, even if absolutely necessary, till the ensuing financial year. Any such expenditure incurred unauthorizedly will in no case be accommodated at RE stage or even by way of re-appropriation and DDO concerned shall be held squarely accountable for the same.
Receipts under Non-Tax Revenue shall be closely monitored and laid down targets achieved at all costs. Finance Department shall be posted with monthly receipts statements. All the departments shall ensure full recovery of current government dues and also endeavour to recover the outstanding dues of past, more particularly of Electricity charges, Water charges, Abiana where arrears outstanding are quite huge. Performance of concerned HOD shall be linked to the achievements of targets on this front.
No requests for additional provisions in revised estimates. In inescapable conditions, additionality to one head to be balanced by equal cut in other head. No re-appropriations to be considered.
No fresh expenditure proposals beyond budgetary provisions at any cost, even by way of re-appropriations. DDOs to face action for violations
No power purchase beyond budgetary provisions. PDD may go for peak hour power cuts
Complete ban on purchase of furniture for government offices except in case of newly come up offices subject to approval of administrative department and of finance department if expenditure of more than Rs one lakh.
Officers told to cut down on their tours within the state by taking communication and information technology. Try to do the maximum by phones, emails, tele-conferencing, video conferencing etc. Tours outside state also restricted and will require permission of an empowered panel. LTC completely banned till further orders. Travel abroad by government functionaries on government expenditure shall be placed before the designated selection committee for clearance before undertaking such travel.
Ceiling on use of residential and cell phone numbers slashed by 10 per cent. Order further says that expenditure on telephones shall be strictly monitored.
Departments asked to freeze or abolish non functional vacancies. Departments shall undertake an effective exercise to fund out the excess staff working/sanctioned at present to reduce strength by 55 in un-productive area, however, justifiable corresponding increase in productive sectors shall be considered. |
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