Govt to recover Rs 43 crore paid extra to employees for poll duty

Wajahat Shabir. Updated: 9/25/2021 10:48:39 AM Front Page

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday ordered recovery of excess amount of Rs 43. 29 Crore rupees which have been paid to employees deployed and associated with the conduct of Municipal and Panchayat Elections, 2018.
As per the reports, the one-month additional salary was drawn by the then DDOs of the state in favour of the employees as per their interpretation of the above Government Order.
Whereas, in terms of Article 27 (b) of J&K Civil Services Regulations (Volume-I), the definition of salary does not include local allowances, HRA, deputation allowance, travelling allowance and the payment of these allowances in favour of concerned employees was wrongly made and has resulted in excess payment of Rs. 43.29 Crores.
In this regard, an order has been issued by Manoj Kumar Dwivedi Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, General Administration Department.
“Pursuant to State Administrative Council Decision No. 5511012018 dated 31.08.2018, the General Administration Department in terms of Government Order No. 1789-GAD of 2018 dated 20.12.2018, sanctioned one-month additional salary, wages and remuneration as the case may be, in favour of employees deployed for the conduct of Municipal Panchayat Elections, 2018 or both”, the order reads.
The order further added that the DDO's across the then State drew one-month additional salary in favour of the employees as per their interpretation of the above Government Order.
It added, “The Principal Accountant General, J&K sought a clarification on the admissibility of various allowances while drawing one-month additional salary in favour of these employees of the erstwhile State Government, since many Drawing and Disbursing Officers paid allowances like HRA/CCA etc. as a part of the salary in pursuance of the Government Order ibid”.
The order further reads, “The matter was examined in the department and it came to fore that in terms of Article 27 (b) of J&K Civil Services Regulations (Volume-I), the definition of salary does not include local allowances, HRA, deputation allowance, travelling allowance and the payment of these allowances in favour of concerned employees were wrongly made and has resulted in excess payment of Rs. 43.29 Crores which needs to be recovered from these officers/officials and also from the employees who in the meanwhile retired on superannuation”.
“Now, therefore, in light of the background narrated hereinabove, it is ordered that the excess amount paid to any employee deployed, associated with the conduct of Municipal/Panchayat Elections, 2018, which is not covered under the definition of salary as provided in Article 27 (b) of J&K Civil Services Regulations (Volume-I), shall immediately be recovered from these employees/pensioners by the concerned Drawing & Disbursing Officer(s)/Treasury Officer(s)”, the order added.


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