Muktsar: Govt school heads struggle to clear dues of vendors

Archit Watts

Muktsar, July 14

Heads of government schools are finding it difficult to clear the dues of vendors who supplied material for various projects during the previous fiscal year.

Some government school administrators told The Tribune that they had even issued print payment advice (PPA) under the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) in March last year, but the transactions were not completed, and the funds “lapsed prematurely”.

“Now, we’re either paying the vendors out of our own pocket or waiting for the funds to arrive to clear the dues. The situation has become irksome as vendors now ask us to pay on a daily basis. However, department officials have not provided us with any satisfactory response,” said Keemat Charaya and Harry Bathla, head teachers at two government schools and Elementary Teacher Union activists.

Democratic Teachers Front activist Pawan Kumar said the problem began in mid-February when they were instructed not to issue new PPAs. “We were unable to issue the PPAs in the last week of March. It’s been nearly three and a half months, but we still can’t pay our vendors. We’ve met senior officials of the department and submitted a memo to the Finance Minister,” he added.

A government teacher said each block was yet to clear dues amounting to Rs 70-80 lakh. In Sri Muktsar Sahib district, there are six blocks, Muktsar I, II, Gidderbaha I, II, Malout and Lambi.

“A vendor who supplied construction material to some schools is yet to get his payment of Rs 12 lakh. He makes calls to us daily and we are unable to explain our position to him,” the teacher said. The PFMS was launched about two years ago so that the school heads won’t have to sign cheques, he added.

Kapil Kumar Sharma, Deputy District Education Officer, Sri Muktsar Sahib, said, “The grants for new rooms have come, but those lapsed in the previous financial year are expected to come in about a fortnight.”

May take a fortnight

The grants for new rooms have come, but those lapsed in the previous financial year are expected to come in about a fortnight. ? — Kapil Kumar Sharma, DDEO, Sri Muktsar Sahib