Guidelines for Presenting Bills at Treasury/ PAO, 2020-2021

Update: Revised Schedule for Submission of Bills for Offices having Assembly Election

Government of West Bengal
Finance Department
Audit Branch (Gr. T)
File No – E 16907
NABANNA
Howrah – 711102

No. 801-F(Y) Date: 27.02.2021

MEMORANDUM

It has been experienced that during the fag end of the Financial Year i.e. in February and March of every Financial Year, large numbers of bills are presented before the Treasuries /Pay & Accounts Offices leading to huge accumulation of bills in those Offices. Such a situation may be avoided if submission of bills is made in a systematic and phased manner. Finance Department issues guidelines every year in this respect and like previous occasions all the DDOs are requested to adhere to the following schedules for submission of bills for the Financial Year 2020-21:

All Sub-Allotting Officer shall distribute the fund to the DDOs for drawal and disbursement well ahead without holding them till the fag end.

2. The Treasuries as and when necessary, may be strengthened temporarily by deputing staff from other sections of the District or Sub-Divisional Offices in the month of March 2021. District Magistrates and Sub-Divisional Officers shall look into the matter in consultation with the Treasury Officer.

3. No new bills shall be received by the Treasury/Pay & Accounts Offices after 4 p.m. on 31.03.2021.

4. Treasury/Pay & Accounts Offices shall dispose of all the bills received in the Treasury, in the following manner:

a. Bills received prior to 28.02.2021 should be processed by 05.03.2021
b. Bills received from 01.03.2021 to 12.03.2021 should be processed by 15.03.2021
c. Bills received on and after 15.03.2021 should be processed on the same day.

5. DDOs should ensure that objected bills should be re-submitted in the Treasury/ Pay & Accounts Offices in the following manner:

a. Bills returned/objected before 16.03.2021 shall be resubmitted by 19.03.2021.
b. Bills returned/objected during the period from 16.03.2021 to 19.03.2021 must be resubmitted by 24.03.2021.
c. Bills returned between 20.03.2021 and 26.03.2021 must be resubmitted on the very next day.
d. Bills returned on 30.03.2021 & 31.03.2021 must be resubmitted by 4 PM on the same day of objection.

6. Treasury Officer/Pay & Accounts Officer/ Additional Treasury Officer/ Additional Pay & Accounts Officer shall arrange for the generation of payment mandate/delivery of cheques/Nil Bill Statements/PL Transfer Statements, if any, as soon as bills are passed and ensure that no mandate/cheque/Nil Bill/PL transfer statements are pending for delivery through system on 31.03.2021. In no case any request for back end delivery of cheque/Nil Bill/PL Transfer statements shall be entertained.

7. No bill shall be passed under any head of account for which no allotment has been received during the entire current financial year.

8. (a) No advance shall be drawn without specific concurrence of the Finance Department, Gr. T.
(b) U.O No issued by the Finance Department shall mandatorily be quoted in all orders sanctioning an advance drawal.

10. (a) No amount shall be transferred to the PL/LF deposit account unless specifically authorized by the Finance Department except where there are standing orders authorizing such transfer with the concurrence of Finance Department.
(b) No concurrence of Finance Department will be required for transferring Grants to Grantee Institutions in their respective LF/PL deposit accounts and for making payments to implementing agencies under Rule 47D of WBFR and as per FD Memo No. 3626-F(Y) dated-10.07.2014 read along with Memo No. 1033-F(Y) dated- 20.02.2018.

11. (a) Salary for the month of March, 2021 in respect of State Government employees, Employees of Non-Government aided educational institutions, Libraries, Employees of Panchayat Bodies; Employees paid out of deposit accounts/Grant-in-aid etc. shall be paid on 02.04.2021.
(b) Monthly Wages, Honorarium, Remuneration, Stipend shall also be paid on 02.04.2021. Treasury/Pay & Accounts Offices shall generate the referred mandates on RBI for credit into the Bank Account on 02.04.2021 and deliver cheques (if any, in this regard) through system mandatorily within 31.03.2021 with specific instruction for non-encashment before 02.04.2021.

12. Monthly Pension for the month of March, 2021 shall be paid on 02.04.2021.

13. District Magistrates and Sub-divisional Officers (in the outlaying sub-divisions) shall issue necessary instructions on the above lines to the DDOs so that the work in the Treasuries can be completed smoothly at the close of the financial year.

14. Monthly accounts for the month of March, 2021 must be submitted to the Office of the Accountant General (A&E), West Bengal by 16.04.2021.

15. The timelines for preferring bills in the Treasuries should be strictly followed. System will restrict the preparation and submission of bills after 4 PM on 31.03.2021. All the Administrative Departments, SubAllottee Officers, Treasury/Pay & Accounts Officers, DDOs and Administrators of deposit Account holders are requested to plan accordingly.

Principal Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal

No. 801-F dated 27.02.2021, Source