Providing Essential Treasury related Services during Lockdown

Government Of West Bengal
Finance Department
Audit Branch

No. 1379-F(Y) 23.03.2020

MEMORANDUM

Sub: Providing essential treasury related services during enforcement of Complete Safety Restrictions

The Government of West Bengal has imposed “Complete Safety Restrictions” w.e.f. 17.00 hrs of 23.03.2020 to 24.00 hrs of 27.03.2020 vide Order No. H&FW/120/20 dated 22.03.2020 of the Chief Secretary for prevention and containment of the COVID 19 disease.

2. It is hereby clarified that Treasury/ PAOs/ DTA establishments/ IFMS Cell are also essential services for providing support services to essential service rendering offices and shall remain open throughout the state from 23/03/2020 to 27/03/2020 to provide essential treasury related services in public interest.

3. During this period priority shall be processing of the urgent bills related to essential services like Health, Fire and emergency, Police, Civil Defence, Bills related to Salary, Wages, Pension, Social Assistance Schemes, Scholarships, payment of agencies providing Security/ Housekeeping/ Conservancy/ Man power supply, etc. The priority list is annexed as Annexure – A to this Memorandum. Certain Bills which are not urgent or in cases where the fund will not lapse (Negative List of the Annexure-A) will not be accepted by the Treasuries.

4. Detailed Advisories to the Sub-Allotting Officers of the Departments/ Directorates/ DDOs/ Deposit Account Administrators/ Treasuries are also enclosed in Annexure -B.

5. The Treasury Officers and the Drawing & Disbursing officers should also meticulously follow all the subsequent instructions that may be issued by the Finance Department and/ or the Directorate of Treasuries and Accounts and through Email/ SMS/ Other electronic modes of communications.

Sd/- H.K. Dwivedi
Additional Chief Secretary
To the Government of West Bengal

No. 1379-F dated 23.03.2020, Source

ANNEXURE-A

Priority List of Bills/ e-Advice

i. Salary/ Remuneration/ Wages in respect of All types of employees – either Direct or through agencies

ii. All types of Pensions and Social Assistance Benefits like Pension and Scholarships

iii. Professional fees drawn under the detailed head “28-Payment of Professional & Special Services-02-Other Charges”.

iv. Honorarium and Additional Honorarium for staff and expenditure for running ICDS centres, Mid-day Meal etc.

v. Salary of doctors, Nurses and other medical staff appointed on ad-hoc basis

vi. Stipends in respect of Internees, House-staff, P.G. Students and Trainee Nurses of Medical Colleges and hospitals of different nature under Health & Family Welfare Department.

vii. Payment of hire charges of vehicles/ POL

viii. Any expenditure related to Medicines, Diet, Oxygen and other life saving gases, health equipments and gadgets

ix. Washing charges for linens used in hospitals

x. Procurement of foodgrains and ration items

xi. Charges of Security/ Scavenging/ Housekeeping/ man power supply agencies engaged in Government Offices or parastatals

xii. Office telephone bills.

xiii. Electricity charges of office establishments

xiv. Any Bill which the Head of the Department considers to be extremely essential/ urgent

Negative List

i. Bills for which funds will not lapse at the year end, viz. GPF, GI, Refund of revenue, Leave encashment, Gratuity, Commutation, Advance adjustment, Refund of EMD & SD.

ii. TR 70B &TR 70C of DDOs of Works Department till 31st March, 2020.

iii. Advance Drawal bills or transfer to Bank Accounts without concurrence of Group-T, Finance Deptt. In case it is required, then DDOs shall move through the concerned Admin Department.

iv. TA/ LTC, Medical Reimbursement, Stationary Purchase, etc.

ANNEXURE-B

Some Advisories to the Sub-Allotting Officers of the Departments/ Directorates/ DDOs/ Deposit Account Administrators/ Treasuries

1. Sub-Allotting Officers of Administrative Departments are requested to sub-allot the fund available with them immediately to DDOs, without waiting till the last moment during 2019-20.

2. The requirement of fund for handling of issues related with Corona Pandemic Management by concerned departments and field authorities may be assessed on priority by admin departments and necessary action taken for making it available to DDOs.

3. The Bills/ Advices related with handling of issues related with Corona Pandemic Management by concerned departments and field authorities may be dealt on priority by DDOs and Treasuries giving due consideration to field requirements.

4. Submit bills relating to POL, Other Charges, Office Expenses, other bills of small amount and of similar natures under a particular Head of Account, etc. by consolidating bills/ advices.

5. Officials of the DDOs/ Deposit Account are requested to communicate with treasury, if required, over Landline/ Mobile/ eMail ONLY and avoid physical visit to Treasury. DDOs are advised not to send more than one official/ Staff to Treasury for collection of cheques.

6. PL operators are requested not to submit e-advice in Treasuries till 31st March, 2020 except in case of extreme emergency. Treasury Officer will not accept such e-Advice for payment out of Deposit Account.

7. System will not allow DDOs to prepare and submit bills after the last date/ time of submission allowed in terms of G.O. No. 512-F(Y) dated 3.2.2020.

8. Treasuries shall not schedule physical appearance of pensioner till 31st March, 2020 except in case of extreme urgency.

9. It is requested to not to pressurise Staff and Officials of Treasury to deviate from these Advisories and Orders of FD.

10. The timeline of submission of bills as envisaged in G.O. No. 512-F(Y) Dated 03/02/2020 of FD will be strictly followed and no exception/ relaxation will be allowed by Treasuries.