A huge amount of Rs 7,530 crore is lying in the bank accounts of 257 units of Haryana Government.
This was brought forth with the assistance of Audit Department while gathering information about bank accounts of various departments, boards and corporations and local bodies of Haryana Government.
“The State Government will now carry out case to case study of these bank accounts to decide whether the amount should be brought under Haryana State Financial Services ltd, a non-banking financial company, created to ensure the optimum utilization of funds in Haryana,” said Haryana Finance Minister Capt Abhimanyu on Wednesday while launching the online portal for the release of grant-in-aid to various government departments here.
Capt Abhimanyu while talking to the mediapersons said that we have fixed a deadline of August for all departments, boards and corporations and local bodies of Haryana Government to provide information related to their bank accounts.
Before August 17, the State Government will also issue guidelines for various departments related to the online portal for the release of grant-in-aid.
During the budget 2018-19, the Finance Minister had announced that departments and public sector undertakings including autonomous bodies will now operate only one or two major bank accounts with effect from April 2018.
Following this, the Finance Department had started the work to gather information about bank accounts of various departments, boards and corporations and local bodies. And, all the drawing and disbursing officers had been asked to give this information in a prescribed format.
Apart from this, all the Treasury Officers had been directed to personally gather this information from the DDOs.
The assistance of local Audit Department is being taken for this purpose, Capt Abhimanyu said adding that so far information of about Rs 7530 crore in bank accounts of 257 units has been received.
The Finance Minister said that with a view to ensure the optimum utilization of this fund, a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) Haryana State Financial Services limited (HSFl) is being set up. This company would be registered with the Reserve Bank of India so as to enable it to work as a NBFC, he added.
“In future, all the government departments would have to keep a single bank account for all their transactions. If any department desired to open more than one account, it would have to take prior permission from the Finance Department by giving complete purpose and justification,” the Finance Minister said while responding to a question.
“It is mandatory for the departments to give details of their accounts, otherwise funds will not be provided to them,” he said adding that this will ensure transparency and accountability in the system.
Regarding accounts related to smart city funds and other funds from Central Government, Capt Abhimanyu said that the Central Government has directed the State Governments to open separate bank account for the transactions of smart city fund.
We are gathering information regarding all such accounts, he added.
Earlier, Principal Secretary of Finance Department TVSN Prasad said that a policy has been formulated regarding empanelment of banks so as to obtain optimum benefit of the schemes, minimize cost and bring uniformity and transparency in dealing with financial institution.
“With the launch of online portal for the release of grant-in-aid to various government departments here, Haryana has become the first state in the country to take such a unique initiative,” Minister Capt. Abhimanyu said.
On the occasion, the Finance Minister launched the online portal by making online transaction of Rs 84.58 crore to Health Department under the National Health Mission. He also handed over the receipt of the transaction to Additional Chief Secretary, Health RR Jowel and Mission Director, NHM Amneet .P. Kumar.
He added that the online system of budgetary transaction would not only further enhance transparency but also enhance working efficiency of drawing and disbursing officer, treasury officers and officers and employees of Finance Department.