Budget 2019-20: No new scheme without prior approval of CAG

Pradeep Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 28

While setting the process for the 2019-20 Budget in motion, the Haryana Government has asked the departments to seek the prior approval of theComptroller and Auditor General (CAG) before starting any new scheme.

“No new sub head (scheme) will be included in the 2019-20 Budget until approved by the Principal Accountant General, Haryana. The departments are advised to obtain prior approval of the Principal Accountant General through the Finance Department, if new scheme is to be added to the Budget Estimates for 2019-20,” a circular from the Additional Chief Secretary (Finance) to heads of the department (HoDs), said.

Similarly, the HoDs have been directed to make specific budget provisions under the object head “motor vehicle” if they intended to purchase any new vehicle or replace old vehicles during 2019-20. The HoDs were warned that no proposal for the purchase of vehicles would be entertained by the Finance Department if no specific provisions were sent in the budget provisions. Earlier, the departments kept on sending the proposals for the purchase of motor vehicles during the year.

In concurrence of the directives of CAG, the Finance Department desired that all expenditure on account of accommodation, transport and dearness allowance (DA) of the ministers and the officers on travel abroad should be sanctioned and drawn distinctly under the object head “foreign travel allowance”. “Distinct provision for this purpose be made in the budget proposals for 2019-20 under this head,” the circular said.

Now, the departments had been asked not to pay the persons working on contractual basis, daily wages and providing professional services from the “salary head”. They should be paid from their respective heads, it said, adding that this provision should be complied with strictly.

The Finance Department said the diversion of funds should be rarity in future. “Once funds are diverted from one object head to another by pointing out savings, the funds so diverted would not be accounted for during the revised Budget Estimates for 2018-19 except in exceptional circumstances,” the Finance Department asserted.