Allotment of Fund for 2016-2017 (Vote-on-Account)

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
Finance Department
Budget Branch

No. 1632-F.B. Howrah, the 31st March, 2016

MEMORANDUM

The undersigned is directed to say that Vote-on-Account Budget of the State Government for the first four months of 2016-17 has been passed by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Copies of the West Bengal Appropriation (Vote-on-Account) Act, 2016 have been forwarded to the Administrative Departments under Finance (Budget) Department Memo No. 1631-F.B. dated 31.03.2016.

The Governor has now been pleased to decide as follows:

2. The Administrative Departments/ Controlling Authorities may now make allotment of fund relating to Non-Plan expenditure for Salary Items (including Salary grants & Wages) and Non-Salary Items up to 33% of the whole year’s budget provision subject to the amount provided under Vote-on-Account for the four months (April, May, June and July, 2016) of the financial year 2016-2017.

3. (i) Within the powers delegated under Delegation of Financial Power Rules, 1977 as amended from time to time or by virtue of the powers delegated in specific cases, the Administrative Departments/ Controlling Authorities may sanction expenditure out of the Non-Plan allotment of fund except in the following cases:

i) 33-Subsidies ii) Finance Commission’s Grant iii) 55-Loans & Advances and iv) Schemes for which Central assistance is available.

(ii) In terms of Finance (Budget) Department’s Memo No. 472-FB dated 24.07.2014, Transport Secretary to the Government of West Bengal may release fund against “33-Subsidies” subject to the amount provided under Vote-on-Account for the four months (April, May, June and July, 2016) of the financial year 2016-17.

4. The Administrative Departments/ Controlling Authorities may make allotment of fund relating State Plan expenditure for the four months (April, May, June and July, 2016) of the financial year 2016-17 up to 33% of the whole years’ budget provision subject to the amount provided under Vote-on-Account. The Administrative Department may sanction expenditure in cases of administratively approved schemes except in the following cases for which concurrence from the Finance Department in Budget Branch will have to be obtained:

a). Schemes relating to EAP, NCDC, REC, CRF, APDPR, AIBP, BADP, ACA under Article 275(1), TSP (relating to Tribal Development Department), BRGF, NPAG, NeGAP, HADP, RKVY, GLB (State Finance Commission), JNNURM, One-time ACA, WBCETF, 14th Finance Commission.

b). Central share and State share for all schemes including Other Centrally Assisted State Plan Schemes (OCASPS) for which central assistance is available.

c). Release of fund under 33-Subsidies, 55-Loans and Advances, 54-Investment.

5. In terms of Finance (Budget) Department’s Memo No. 472-FB dated 24.07.2014, Transport Secretary to the Government of West Bengal may release fund under “7055-Loans for Roads Transport” and “7056-Loans for Inland Water Transport” up to 30% of budget provision.

6. The concerned Departments will be required to upload necessary information in the prescribed proforma regarding release of Plan Fund in the website of the Finance Department (www.wbfin.nic.in).

7. All allotments of fund including the fund allotted to Works Executing Departments/ Forests Department should be made through the software application “e-bantan” under IFMS.

8. While issuing orders for sanctioning expenditure in exercise of the powers delegated under this Memorandum, the following sentence should be inserted in such orders “This order issues in exercise of the powers delegated under Finance Department Memo No. 1632-F.B. dated 31.03.2016.

9. The powers delegated to the Administrative Departments/ Controlling Authorities to release fund are subject to the following conditions:-

i) The project/ scheme for which fund is to be released has been administratively approved following the existing procedure after obtaining concurrence of the Finance Department or Financial Advisor within the limit of Rs. 10.00 crore as per Memo No. 152-F.B. dated 27.04.2012;

ii) The amount to be released can be accommodated within the allotted fund out of Vote-on-Account budget provision under project/ scheme;

iii) There are no deviations -technical or otherwise – from the approved norms;

iv) Restrictions on creation of posts, purchase/ hiring of cars and other restrictions imposed by the Finance Department are to be observed.

10. This Order will be effective from 01.04.2016.

Sd/- P. Yadav
Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal

No. 1632-FB dated 31.03.2016, Source