Temporary advances are sanctioned to meet petty and emergent expenditure where no condition is imposed initially regarding its utilisation or unspent balance if any.
The salaries of 25 junior engineers and sub divisional engineers have been frozen by the Municipal Corporation for not giving an account of the money taken from the government exchequer under ‘temporary advances’.
These officials are among the 1,524 cases detected by the audit wing of Municipal Corporation which found that funds worth Rs 48.31 crores were taken on account of “temporary advances” but there is no record of where the money was spent.
Temporary advances are sanctioned to meet petty and emergent expenditure where no condition is imposed initially regarding its utilisation or unspent balance if any. Within one month, the officials have to get the amount ‘adjusted’ by furnishing various bills and justification as to where the money was spent and if any amount was unspent. This also includes the advances taken for tours, or making payments for certain projects or other small works.
The audit, however, observed, “ Non adjustment of temporary advances involving huge amount is a serious matter which may result into misappropriation of funds and immediate necessary steps are required to be taken in this regard. Non adjustment of these advances in a time bound manner has resulted in accumulation of 1,524 cases involving an amount of Rs 48.31 crore granted upto March 31, 2016.”
Chief Accounts Officer Uma Shankar Sharma said, “ As per procedure if any amount is taken as advance, it has to be justified later and supporting vouchers or bills needs to be produced. Making a strict note of it, the Commissioner ordered to freeze the salary of the junior engineers and SDOs.”
The audit has also mentioned that in case the officer or official fails to submit the adjustment of advance within the prescribed period, the recovery of the advance may be made from the salary of the official concerned immediately after the expiry of prescribed period. The audit had also sent reminders before framing the report, but no proofs were submitted.
Source: Indian Express