Memorandum for Vote on Account Budget 2013-2014

GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
Finance Department
Budget Branch

No. 03-F.B. Kolkata, the 1st April, 2013

MEMORANDUM

The undersigned is directed to say that Vote-on-Account Budget of the State Government for the first four months of 2013-2014 has been passed by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. Copies of the West Bengal Appropriation (Vote-on-Account) Act, 2013 have been forwarded to the Administrative Departments under Finance (Budget) Department Memo. No. 01-F.B. dated 1st April, 2013.

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) Pension, Diet (21-01), Drug (21-02), other Hospital Consumables (21-03), Medical Gases including Oxygen (21-05) upto 33% and Non-Salary Items upto 25% 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, 2013) of the financial year 2013-14.

3. 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 Grants iii) 55-Loans & Advances and iv) Schemes for which Central assistance is available.

4. In this Department Memo No. 02-F.B. dated 1st April 2013, fourteen (14) Departments have been empowered to release State’s matching share as well as Central Share up to 31.07.2013 during the current year’s budget level. The said fourteen Departments may make allotment of fund up to 31.07.2013 during the current year’s budget provision relating to Central Share and State’s matching share from the relevant heads of account.

The concerned Departments will be required to furnish necessary information in the prescribed proforma regarding repayment of loans as per Finance Department Memo N0. 80-F.B. dated 17.04.2006.

5. The Administrative Departments/ Controlling Authorities may make allotment of fund relating to State Plan expenditure for the four months (April, May, June and July, 2013) of the financial year 2013-2014 upto 25% of the whole year’s budget provision subject to the amount provided under Vote-on-Account and also 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: i) Schemes relating to EAP, RIDF, 13th FC, NCDC, REC, CRF, APDRP, AIBP, BADP, ACA under Article 275(1), TSP (relating to BCW Deptt.), BRGF, NPAG, NeGAP, HADP, RKVY, GLB,(State Finance Commission), JNNURM, One-time ACA ii) State Share for Centrally Sponsored Schemes or any other Scheme for which Central assistance is available iii) Central Share under State Plan and iv) release of fund under 33- Subsidies, 55-Loans and Advances, 54-Investment.

The concerned Departments will be required to furnish necessary information in the prescribed proforma regarding release of Plan Fund as per Finance Department Memo No. 52(75)-F.B. dated 12.04.2006.

6. All Departments should immediately issue orders of allotment to their subordinate offices. It may be noted that subject to the provision contained in Finance Deptt. Memo. No. 2667-F(Y) dated 01.04.2013, no bill will be passed by the Treasury/Pay & Accounts Office without an allotment order. The Treasuries/Pay and Accounts Offices have been advised accordingly.

7. 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. 03-F.B. dated 1st April, 2013.

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

a) 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/ Financial Advisor/ Departmental Secretary within the limit of Rs. 10.00 lakh as per Memo No.95-F.B. dated 18.04.2012;

b) The amount to be released can be accommodated within the Vote-on-Account provision under the project/ scheme;

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

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

Sd/- S. Datta

OSD & EO Joint Secretary to the
Government of West Bengal

No. 03-FB dated 01.04.2013, Source