G.O.Ms.380 (15-10-1970): Arrear of claims — Pay and allowance of Government employees — Investigation and payment — Further instructions — Issued.

[G.O.Ms.No. 380, Fin. (F.R-I), Dept., Dt. 15-10-1970]

Ref. :—G.O. Ms. No. 216, Finance (F.R-I), Department, Dt. 16-3-1963.

Order :—In G.O. Ms. No. 216, Finance (F.R-I), Dt. 16-3-1963, the appointing authorities and Heads of Departments have been delegated with certain powers in the matter of sanction of arrear claims of Government employees relating to increments. Travelling Allowance etc., subject to the condition that such claims are investigated and found admissible by the Accountant-General. It also stated in the said G.O. that in case where it is proposed to pay arrears found to be due after investigation by the Accountant-General for a period of in excess of 3 years immediately preceding the date of reduction of underpayment, such cases should be referred to the Finance Department, by the concerned Administrative Departments furnishing detailed reasons for the delay. In respect, however, of cases where arrear claims cannot be verified in audit due to the limited period of preservation of the records in the audit, they should invariably be continued to be referred to the Finance Department before the payment is sanctioned.

Subsequently, however, Government held the view that except where arrear claims are susceptible of actual verification by the audit with reference to the available records, such claims should not, as a matter of policy, be entertained at all and that Administrative Head of Department/Office should hold himself responsible for such non-payment of the claims relating to salaries and allowance of the staff working under him.

Notwithstanding the above instructions the Heads of Departments/Officers have been submitting to Government proposals of arrear of claims of Government servants for sanction. All such claims are being examined at Government level and orders for payment are being issued on merits.

The above position once again been reviewed, as in many cases, it is observed, Government servants are being denied their rightful claims because of the administrative delays and non-availability of the required records due to the limited period of their preservation or otherwise. When a few cases relating to the arrear claims were referred to the team of Joint Secretaries, Government of India, they expressed the view that it would be unfair to deny the arrears when the claimant is not for the delay.

Government, therefore, now direct that :—(a) deleted claims relating to Government employees may continue to be sanctioned in terms of the Government orders already issued in the matter in consultation with the Finance Department :—

(b) in all such cases the Department should take action for fixing the responsibility for the administrative delay and also take suitable action against the persons held responsible, under intimation to Finance Department;

(c) according to G.O.Ms.No. 489, Finance (FR), Dt. 16-11-62 and Article 326 of the Andhra Pradesh Finance Code, Volume I, the period of preservation of Accounts records relating to pay bills and Travelling Allowance bills is as follows—

It must be possible to verify the claims with these records that should be available. The Pay Drawing Officer/Head of the Department should preserve all the records relating to any particular Government servant till his claim is finally settled and also take personal responsibility for the correctness of the claim on the basis of the records available with him.