The Haryana Government has decided to increase the limit of development works to be executed by the gram panchayats in the State from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.
Necessary amendments in this regard were being made in the Haryana Panchayati Raj Finance, Budget, Accounts, Audit, Taxation and Works Rules, 1996, said spokesman of the Development and Panchayats Departments .
He said that the Haryana Government had also issued comprehensive consolidated guidelines for execution of development works by the Gram Panchayats in the state.
As per these guidelines, funds released under the Central Finance Commission (CFC), State Finance Commission (SFC) and Surcharge on VAT (SOV) as per their share specified as a grant from the government would be credited directly to the accounts of the Gram Panchayats through RTGS.
The grant-in-aid received under SFC and SOV would be credited to the accounts of three tiers of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), namely Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads with the share as 75 per cent, 15 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, or as may be prescribed by the Government from time to time.
The respective gram panchayat would give administrative approval for works to be undertaken under CFC, SFC and SOV grants as per the existing rules and procedures. Similarly, the Panchayat Samitis and the Zila Parishads would give administrative approval for the works to be undertaken by them from their own and allotted funds or grant-in-aid, said the spokesman.
He said that there would be no financial capping for administrative approvals for any of the three tiers of the PRIs for the works to be undertaken from their own and allotted funds or grant-in-aid. The execution of works would be done in accordance with the Panchayati Raj Works Rules, 1996.
The spokesman said that the estimates of development works would be prepared and given technical approval by the Panchayati Raj Engineering Wing as per the Works Rules, 1996. The Sub-Divisional Officer (Panchayati Raj) would ensure the preparation of estimates within 15 days of the receipt of the resolution of the Gram Panchayat in this regard, failure of which would attract disciplinary action against him.
For the works up to Rs 10 lakh, technical approval would be given by the sub-divisional officer (PR), from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25lakh by the executive engineer (PR), from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh by the superintending engineer (PR) and above Rs 50 lakh by the chief engineer (PR).
The bank account would be opened in the name of gram panchayats with three operators namely, sarpanch, gram sachiv and block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) or social education and panchayat officer (SEPO). And, gram sachiv would be responsible for maintaining proper accounts of all the funds received and utilised under each of the schemes and for monthly reporting, according to the guidelines.
Finance committees would be constituted in all gram panchayats to make payments to the contractual agency in case of allotted works or suppliers and labourers in case of departmental works after proper verification and assessment of the work executed through the Gram Panchayat.
The Finance Committee would comprise of sarpanch of the panchayat concerned, two panches of which one should be woman or belonging to scheduled caste or other backward classes, gram sachiv and sub-divisional officer (SDO) or junior engineer (JE), said the spokesman.
To ensure uniformity, a committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner and consisting of the district development and panchayats officers (DDPO), executive engineer (PR) and the DFSC would fix the rates for various materials, valid for three months, block-wise, he said.
He added that gram panchayat would start the work within 45 days of the receipt of funds. The gram sachiv would ensure passing of resolution for start of work within 15 days of receipt of funds in the account of the Gram Panchayat.
After preparation of estimates within 10 days of passing of the resolution, the Gram Panchayat would issue administrative approval within the next 10 days and thereafter, start the work in the next 10 days. In case the gram panchayat fails to start the work within this time limit, the Finance Committee at the block level would get the work executed at his or her level up to the amount of Rs 20 lakh under intimation to the Deputy Commissioner.
The Deputy Commissioner would review the monthly progress of works by the 5th of every month and would also examine the inspection reports submitted by various officers for appropriate follow-up action.
The spokesman said that written communication in this regard had been sent to all Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Additional Deputy Commissioners, District Development and Panchayats Officers and Executive Engineers (PR) for compliance of these guidelines.