Jharkhand News: ₹2,812 Crore Missing from Jharkhand Treasury, Departments Fail to Submit Reports

State Treasury Records Show ₹2,812 Crore Advance Withdrawals Missing

Ranchi, December 01, 2024: The Jharkhand government faces scrutiny as ₹2,812 crore withdrawn from the state treasury over several years remains unaccounted for. The advance payments, including withdrawals from 23 years ago, were made by multiple departments. Despite repeated directives to submit detailed accounts of these transactions, no significant progress has been reported.

Chief Secretary’s Instructions Ignored

About a month and a half ago, former Chief Secretary L. Khiyangte and Finance Secretary Prashant Kumar conducted a meeting with departmental officials, emphasizing the urgency of settling pending advance withdrawal bills. Departments were instructed to either utilize the funds as intended or return them to the treasury. However, no substantial action has been taken, raising questions about accountability and governance.

Comptroller and Auditor General’s Report Highlights Lapses

A report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) five months ago identified ₹4,937 crore in pending Detailed Contingent (DC) bills. Of this, adjustments have been made for only ₹1,698 crore, with ₹426 crore in the process of reconciliation. The remaining ₹2,812 crore remains unaccounted for, prompting concerns about potential mismanagement and misuse.

Rural Development Department Faces ₹411 Crore Irregularity

In a finance department meeting held on September 23, it was revealed that ₹411 crore allocated to the Rural Development Department had been withdrawn by other departments without proper authorization. This irregularity has prompted an investigation to identify those responsible and take corrective measures, including reconciliation of the misallocated funds.

Advance Amounts Pending Across Key Departments

Data from the state treasury reveals significant amounts of unaccounted advance funds across several departments:

High-Level Committee Report Still Unaddressed

In March 2023, a high-level committee led by A.P. Singh, a Revenue Council member, was formed to investigate the delays in settling DC bills. The committee sought information from the Finance and Rural Development Departments on the districts and agencies with pending bills. Despite these efforts, the committee’s report has not been acted upon, further deepening the crisis.

What Are AC and DC Bills?

The lack of proper reconciliation between these two types of bills highlights administrative inefficiencies and potential loopholes in financial management.

Implications of Missing Treasury Records

The missing ₹2,812 crore poses serious concerns for governance and public trust. The failure to account for these funds undermines financial accountability and transparency. Moreover, it impacts the efficient allocation of resources to critical sectors like education, health and disaster management.

By integrating proper monitoring mechanisms and holding departments accountable, the government must address these lapses to prevent future mismanagement of public funds.