Delhi Govt Finance Dept Circular on Proposal Submissions

New Delhi, Jul 30 (PTI) The Delhi government's Finance Department has directed departments to avoid forwarding proposals that fall under their own decision-making domain, stressing that only matters requiring financial concurrence should be sent for approval.

In an internal circular titled "Guidelines for Submission of Proposals to the Finance Department (FD)", the department observed that "despite of issuance of instructions/guidelines on the subject from time to time", proposals such as "vetting of tender documents, Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs), rules to be framed in accordance with statutory provisions of any Act etc." are still being sent.

Stressing that these are "exclusively" in the domain of the "administrative departments in terms of implementation/decision-making", the circular said that departments continue to send proposals.

"Similarly, other proposals especially cabinet notes are sent by the departments to FD for concurrence/ approval/opinion/comments without due verification of department's own schemes and allocation of funds thereto which amounts to contravention of the provisions of Transaction of Business Rules, 1993 and instructions issued by GAD, especially the one issued under the signatures of Chief Secretary," the circular noted.

The finance department directed that all routine operational and administrative proposals should be resolved at the department's own level.

"Concerned HoDs/Administrative Secretaries to review and prioritise them accordingly before deciding to forward any of them to FD," read the circular.

The circular, issued by SS Parihar, Special Secretary, Finance instructed that only those proposals that require the department's approval in terms of General Financial Rules 2017 (GFR), Delegation of Financial Powers Rules (DFPR) or any other statutory rule position should be submitted.

It also said that proposals forwarded to the department should be accompanied by a clear justification as to why and under which rule approval or concurrence of FD is required, to avoid unnecessary delays and duplication of efforts.

"By adhering to above guidelines, it will be ensured that the workflow remains efficient, and FD could focus on more strategic and cross-functional issues that require centralized attention," it said.

In 2022, the finance department had advised other units saying that once its administrative approval and expenditure sanction has been obtained, no further approval is required for preparation of Notice Inviting Tender (NIT), terms and conditions of the contract, awarding of work and making payment to vendors etc.

Departments were reminded that under Rule 5 read with Rule 26 of the Transaction of Business Rules, "departments (should) consult Finance Department only in those matters in which its prior concurrence is necessary, whether such proposals have financial bearing involving expenditure or otherwise".