2 weeks Ago By Sentinel Digital Desk
Staff Reporter : In order to streamline the release of pensions for principals and headmasters of educational institutions, the Finance (Audit and Fund) Department has given a roadmap for the implementing authorities to follow. In an office order issued today, the Finance Department said that the ARTP&PG (Administrative Reforms, Training, Pension and Public Grievances) department should work in close tandem with the Education Department and the Director of Pension to ensure prompt issuance and uploading of provisional proposals. The Education Department must instruct the retiring teachers to submit all audit-related documents to the Director of Audit (local fund), Assam, within a month of their retirement to expedite their audit process and avoid delays in final pension disbursement.
The Finance Department directed the Director of Audit (Local Fund), Assam, to expedite the audit of submitted school documents and notify schools upon completion and provide training for headmasters on maintaining and submitting audit documents to prevent future delays. The Finance Department said that the Education Department should withdraw any communication that omits specific reference to ‘provisional pensions’. Provisional pensions can be issued without an audit report, whereas final pensions require an audit report.
The Finance Department further said that the Director of Audit (Local Fund), , should prioritize audits for institutions whose heads are retiring the same year. If all the requisite papers are submitted, audit reports shall be submitted within 30 working days for institutions under higher education (major accounts) and 15 working days for institutions under elementary and secondary education (minor accounts). To address delays in audit completion and report submission, a self-declaration system will be introduced for retirees.
If the above-mentioned timeline is violated by the audit team and the audit report is delayed, the retiree may be allowed to receive their pension based on their self-declaration. Pensioners would submit a non-liability certificate by themselves in place of an audit clearance report, ensuring quicker payments while affirming the absence of outstanding financial liabilities. The Finance Department further said that the provisional pensions should be sanctioned by the competent authority based on a non-liability certificate.
Final pensions should be sanctioned as per point 5 above. Also Read: Also Watch:.
