J&K finance dept asks TOs not to entertain bills after Mar 30

The Jammu and Kashmir government has directed the Treasury Officers (TOs) in the state not to entertain any bill or cheque for payment after the working hours on March 30, a senior official said today.
The department has issued a circular to TOs which states that in the past some bills could not be verified before issuing the payment to various entities such as government contractors.
"It has been observed in the past that the bulk of bills and cheques are received at the treasuries on March 31 and even after working hours and this provides little or no opportunity to the concerned Treasury Officers to verify and scrutinise the bills, cheques which dilute the rigour of scrutiny of bills posing avoidable risks" an official spokesperson said.

The official said that the practice has all along been objected by the Accountant General.
The official added that the Treasury Officers have also been advised to convey these instructions to the Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) operating in their respective treasuries by way of prior advice or notice.