AP Chief Secretary Raps Finance Officials For Selective Payment Of Bills

The Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary LV Subramanyam is learnt to have taken a serious view of the state’s finance department’s selective payments of bill of some departments, discriminating against others in the process. The chief secretary is learnt to have flagged the partisan conduct of officials in passing bills of some departments which did not have the approved budget while withholding payment of bills related to departments which had budget approvals.

The finance department reportedly passed bill related to payment of contracts with others which were intertwined with political interests. Whiles salaries of contract employees and those doing outsourcing jobs were kept on hold. Employee associations had represented the issue of non-payment of salaries to the chief secretary. It is learnt that two days ago, the chief secretary held a review with higher officials of the finance department and reportedly faulted the indiscriminate manner in which bills were passed from January 2019-March 2019. The Chief Secretary, according to sources, pulled up finance department officials for diverting funds meant for the payment of staff salaries.

He also questioned them on reasons for the state not fulfilling its quota of funds to Central schemes which had already been released resulting in the lapse of precious resources, sources say. He is said to have questioned them as to who would be accountable for the lapse of such funds which were meant for welfare schemes in the state.

The chief secretary found faults with finance department officials for non-payment of bills which were considered mandatory. Moreover, he is said to have questioned them on how they had glossed over the fundamental principle of passing bills without looking into the political aspects of it. For the past two months, government employees have not been paid their salaries. And bills amounting to Rs 11,108.61 crores are yet to be passed, according to sources in the finance department. This amount includes salaries, money meant for corporations and ongoing projects. The chief secretary has also reportedly sought reasons for disparity in payment of bills and instructed that the causes be recorded. He is also said to have told the officials that if bills had been passed in violation of rules, an audit should be conducted and instructed the officials for immediate payment of salaries.

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