PANAJI
Launching an austerity drive to contain unnecessary expenditure and provide funds for developmental activities, the State government on Tuesday banned creation of new posts across all its departments, autonomous bodies and Corporations until further orders.
Under Secretary Finance Pranab Bhat in an Office Memorandum has issued a series of directions for rationalisation of expenditure in a bid to curb unwanted revenue spending by the departments in the last quarter of the ongoing financial year and encourage them to surrender savings.
The government has directed its departments not to spend more than 20 per cent of their budgetary estimates in the last quarter of the fiscal- between January and March, 2025. “Not more than 20 per cent of the Budgetary estimates shall be spent in the remaining quarters of this financial year, except under flagship schemes of the government and wherever possible, may be reduced by 40 per cent till the financial year end,” the OM stated.
“There shall be a ban on creation and upgradation of posts in all departments, autonomous bodies, corporations of the government until further orders,” it added.
The Secretary has asked all the departments to ensure rationalisation of expenditure in order to achieve the targets and standards set out in the Goa Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2006, as also to provide adequate funds for development activities under Capital Account and to restrict or manage expenditure on Revenue Account.
Further, every department has been directed to bring into effect a 25 per cent cut in budgetary revenue expenditure excluding interest payment, repayment of debt, payment of salaries and pension.
Also, in order to curb unnecessary expenditure, the Finance Department has imposed a ban on purchase of items like furniture, electrical appliances, telephone instruments, office vehicles, etc. The Accounts Department is directed not to clear any bills for purchase of such items. In the event if departments are in urgent need of the items, then prior approval of the finance department is made mandatory.
“The measures for rationalization of expenditure are intended to curb unnecessary revenue expenditure and provide funds for development activities under Capital Account as well as provision for payment of revised pay and arrears thereon,” the OM stated.
