Jammu, April 18:The Finance Department of the Jammu and Kashmir government has issued fresh directions to strengthen the security of government bank accounts and prevent financial fraud linked to improper communication details.
According to an official circular released by the Directorate General of Accounts and Treasuries, the step follows concerns flagged by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, regarding instances where weaknesses in maintaining contact information in bank records led to fraudulent activities in certain government accounts.
Officials noted that in several cases, email addresses associated with government bank accounts were found to be personal or non-official IDs rather than authorised government domain addresses. Such practices, they said, increase the risk of unauthorised access, manipulation of account information and possible financial losses.
To address the issue, the department has instructed all Treasury Officers, Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs), Single Nodal Agency (SNA) operators and other authorised signatories to strictly adhere to updated guidelines on maintaining communication details linked to official bank accounts.
Under the new instructions, only official government domain email IDs are to be registered and used for all government banking transactions. Departments have also been directed to review existing records and promptly replace any personal or unauthorised email IDs with approved official ones.
The circular further calls for regular verification of contact information, including email addresses and mobile numbers, to ensure that records remain accurate and secure. It also mandates that any request to modify communication details must go through proper internal approval and verification before changes are implemented.
Officials said the measures are aimed at protecting public funds and reinforcing accountability in government financial operations. All departments and subordinate offices across the Union Territory have been asked to ensure strict compliance with the instructions and circulate them widely among concerned staff.
