Srinagar, Aug 12 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir government has substantially revised the delegation of financial powers governing administrative approval, technical sanction and award of contracts for individual works as part of the government’s policy of expediting project execution and decentralisation of decision-making powers.
The J&K Finance Department has amended the existing provisions under the powers conferred by Section 67 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The revised provisions replace the corresponding provisions of the earlier notification issued on January 9, 2020.
Under the revised framework, Administrative Departments have been empowered to accord approval for individual works costing up to Rs 30 crore, subject to the concurrence of the Director Finance/FA & CAO.
The revised financial powers include — Administrative Departments: up to Rs 30 crore; Chief Engineers: up to Rs 15 crore, with concurrence of FA/CAO. Heads of Departments, including DDCs: up to Rs 7.50 crore; Superintending Engineers: up to Rs 4.50 crore.
For works costing more than Rs 30 crore, proposals, after obtaining the concurrence of the Finance Department, will be placed before the Council of Ministers (CoM) for consideration and approval.
The government has also revised the powers for according Technical Sanction to detailed estimates of original works, including special repairs, renovations, additions, alterations and improvements not chargeable to maintenance.
The revised limits are — Superintending Engineer: up to Rs 2 crore; Executive Engineer: up to Rs 75 lakh; Assistant Executive Engineer: up to Rs 10 lakh.
The notification further provides that plans and designs for individual works costing above Rs 5 lakh and Rs 20 lakh, respectively, will require approval from the Superintending Engineer and Chief Engineer before technical sanction is accorded by the competent authority.
For works relating to maintenance and repairs, the revised technical sanction powers have been fixed at — Superintending Engineer: up to Rs 7.50 lakh; Executive Engineer: up to Rs 3.75 lakh; Assistant Executive Engineer: up to Rs 1 lakh.
The government has simultaneously enhanced the financial powers for sanctioning and awarding contracts for individual works. Under the revised provisions, the new provisions are — Departmental Contract Committee: up to Rs 60 crore; Chief Engineer: up to Rs 30 crore; Superintending Engineer: up to Rs 10.50 crore; and Executive Engineer: up to Rs 2.25 crore.
The latest amendments are expected to streamline financial approval procedures, reduce administrative delays and strengthen decision-making powers at various levels of the government machinery.
The revised delegation will enable projects falling within prescribed financial limits to be processed and implemented at the appropriate administrative and engineering levels, reducing the need for unnecessary reference to higher authorities.
The notification has been issued by the Finance Department, Codes Division, Civil Secretariat, Jammu/Srinagar, signed by Shailendra Kumar, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Finance Department.
–IANS
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