JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday approved the release of funds amounting to over Rs 55.58 crore by way of advance positioning in favour of the family welfare department under centrally sponsored scheme ‘Family Welfare Programme’ for its utilisation during the financial year 2024-25.
The release of the funds in advance will come as a major relief for the employees of the Family Welfare in Health and Medical Education Department.
An order to this effect was issued by the Secretary to the Government, Health & Medical Education Department, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah.
“Sanction is hereby accorded to the release of funds amounting to Rs 55.5875 crores in favour of Director Family Welfare, J&K as advance positioning under CSS ‘Family Welfare Programme’ through Budget, Estimation, Allocation and Monitoring System (BEAMS),” the order read.
“This is for the first time that funds have been released in advance in favour of the family welfare department. This will obviate the chances of any delay in the release of salaries to the employees of the family welfare department,” the secretary said.
The finance department has sanctioned the amount in reference to the recent decision of the administrative council headed by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the order said.
The funds should be utilised subject to certain conditions like the expenditure should be booked on admissible items as mentioned in the guidelines of CSS-Family Welfare Programme and after fulfilling all requisite formalities as per rules/norms, it said.
The funds should be used specifically for the purpose for which they have been authorised and no diversion of funds should be permissible under any circumstances in the bank account unnecessarily, the order said.
It also said that the funds should not be parked and the conditions stipulated in BEAMS may be adhered in letter and spirit.
This was a long pressing burning issue of the employees of the family welfare department who did not get salaries on time before this decision.
The decision is a major reform aimed at employee welfare for the department of health and medical education. (PTI)