GP Fund Advances – Additional Check List dt 27.08.1999

GP Fund Advances – Additional Check List dt 27.08.1999

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Additional Check List

As you are aware, there has been a spate of bogus payments/fraudulent withdrawals out of GP Fund Accounts of various subscribers on the basis of fake sanctions of advance draw and final payments. In certain cases payments were made on fictitious balances, whereafter the relevant record was destroyed.

2. This issue has been engaging the attention of the Government in the Finance Department for sometime. Accordingly, in order to arrest such cases of bogus/fraudulent withdrawals out of GP Fund, following additional checks have been prescribed for implementation by the office of the Accountant General, Punjab and District Account Offices maintaining GP Fund Accounts of the civil servants under the Punjab Government :-

1. All sanctions issued by the respective competent authorities for GP Fund advances may only be acted upon by the A.G.(Punjab)/DAOs after reconfirmation of the sanctions by such authorities, who shall also be required to mention the National Identity Card No. in the sanction, besides appending an attested copy therewith.
2. The office of the Accountant General, Punjab/District Accounts Officer shall maintain a separate register wherein all verified sanctions for advances out of GP Fund shall be entered. This register shall remain in personal custody of Accounts-Officer/District Accounts Officer. These sanctions shall also be entered in ledger cards as already prescribed.
3. The original sanctions shall be placed in a separate file to be maintained and kept in the personal custody of the in charge GP Fund section viz; the Assistant Accounts Officer. He shall be responsible to produce the sanction as and when required subsequently.
4. While processing the claims for GP Fund Advance etc. it shall be ensured that the GP Fund balance as in existence is correct and bonafide. All procedural checks as already prescribed, shall be meticulously exercised before authorizing such claims.
5. In order to guard against fraudulent withdrawals of GP Fund advances, instead of directly passing a GP Fund bill/claim, an authority would only be issued in the name of DDO, as done in case of final payment cases. This would be communicated to him at his official address by post
6. On the receipt of the authority letter from the District Accounts Officer/AG (Punjab)..the DDO after submitting the claim, as prescribed would appear in person) or through an authorized representative before the DAO/AO (AG. Pb.), along with the claimant of GP Fund advance He/She shall confirm the bonafides of the claim and identify the payee before the District Accounts Officer/AO. The DAO may then authorize the claim. A copy of the I.D. card of payee shall be obtained and retained by the AO/DAO on his record.
7. While passing the bills for GP Fund advances, “in the prescribed manner, the details of bills, along with token No., shall be entered in the register stated at (ii) above against the relevant sanction.
8. The above procedure shall mutatis – mutandis apply in case of gaze-ted government servants However, personal appearance of the officer before the DAO/AO shall not be required.
9. In addition to the above checks, all provisions of Rules, and other procedural requirements, as already prescribed, shall continue to apply.

3. It is accordingly requested that the above instructions may kindly be observed in spirit to safeguard the interest of the civil servants with regard to their GP Fund accumulation.