The Haryana government has taken a big decision regarding the heads of city councils and municipalities. The Drawing and Disbursement (DD) power held by the “pradhans” has been abolished by the government. Pradhan will no longer be able to sign checks regarding the expenditure incurred on development works or other similar items. A notification has been issued by the government regarding this important decision.
Under the notification, now the chief executive officer, executive officer or secretary and the officer in charge of accounts will jointly sign the cheque.
Some relief has also been given by the government. It has been clarified in the notification that apart from the development works, the approval of any work to be done by the Municipal Council and the municipalities will remain unchanged. As before, the approval of the development works will remain with the head and the board of councillors. Along with work up to one crore, the approval of the rate of more than five percent of the estimate in any tender is with the finance and contract committee constituted under the chairmanship of the head. Vikas Gupta, commissioner and secretary of the Urban Local Bodies Department, has amended the Municipal Accounts Code 1930 in sub-sections one and two of Section 257 of the Haryana Municipality Act, 1973.
