Srinagar : The Government on Saturday accorded sanction to the authorization of 50% of the Interim Budget (Vote-on-Account) 2024-25 under Capex Budget including the District Capex for the financial year 2024-25 in favour of all the Departments/District Development Commissioners.
The release of funds through BEAMS as well as expenditure thereof shall be subject to the uploading of works/activities on BEAMS portal as per the Work Plans duly approved by the competent authority for the year 2024-25, Principal Secretary to the Government Finance Department.
The utilization of funds under Capex Budget 2024-25 has been further made subject to detailed terms and conditions. Among others, the Director Finance(s)/Director(s) Planning/Financial Advisor & CAO(s)/Joint Director(s) Planning and Controlling Officers of all the Departments shall be personally responsible for uploading of approved Work Plans (projects/works/activities) on BEAMS portal with the approval of competent authority by or before 20th April, 2024.
All the District Development Commissioners shall furnish the District Plans (project/work/activity wise) after seeking approval of competent authority by or before 30th of April, 2024, it said.
“In respect of District sector projects, CPO(s)/AO(s) of each District shall be responsible for uploading of the Work Plans on BEAMS portal once the same is approved by the competent authority within the stipulated time.”
Planning process at Department level and District level shall integrate to incorporate whole of the Society/whole of Government approach.
All the directions given by Administrative Council and LG, the recommendations of the three conferences of the Chief Secretaries, the consultations with local government institutions and the feedback received by Departments under 82V programmes, …should be reviewed while framing the annual plans and shall form part of budget outlays for 2024-25, it said.
“The focus of the Departments/DDCs must be on completion of ongoing and new works rather than starting large number of underfunded works or spreading of resources thinly over the number of years.”
The timeline for completion of new works/activities taken up for execution during the financial year 2024-25, should be between one to two years. In rare cases of mega-projects, the Department may extend timeline upto three years.
The new works/activities, the order said, will be uploaded only if the budget outlay in 2024-25 for such activity is at least 40% of the approved cost of the project.
“All the spillover and ongoing works/activities which are expected to be completed during the year 2024-25 or at the most in succeeding year shall be the first charge on Capex Budget 2024-25. The
Departments/DDCs shati ensure that no ongoing work is left out.”
The main focus of the Departments/DDCs, it said, must be on outcomes in terms of benefit to the public. “All Departments shall prepare their Annual Plans delineating clear outcomes.”
The departments shall also prioritize the balance requirements of funds for the languishing projects within the approved Capex ceilings available on BEAMS portal and shall upload the works accordingly with LUP CODE in the nomenclature for clear distinction of such works, it said.
“The capital outlay shall not be utilized for revenue nature of expenditure.”
As the Parliament has only approved interim budget (vote on account), the funds to the extent of 50% only out of budget outlay for each work in 2024-25 will be released, it said.
“The Departments/DDCs shail ensure that the “Budget Announcements” and “deliverables for the year 2024-25 are included in the budget outisys and achievements on this account shall be reviewed periodically at highest Administrative Level/Finance Department.”
Funding of part OPRs to be avoided by the Departments eg funding for hospital without equipments, college without fumiture etc, it said.
“The Departments shall ensure that both Central Share as well as UT Share of CSS shalt be fully captured on BEAMS.” (GNS)
