PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has tightened rules for the release of public funds, making necessary a prior approval from the relevant authority.
The provincial Finance Department has directed officials not to enter funds into the system without approval or instructions from the authorised authority. Officials found responsible for delays, negligence or violations of the rules may face disciplinary action.
According to details, the new procedures aim to ensure that government funds are released and recorded according to the prescribed rules. Under the new instructions, officials must follow the required formats when releasing funds under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) and Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
The department has also ordered daily monitoring of the release and spending of funds under both development projects and the current budget. Approval from the competent authority will be required before development funds can be released or shifted from one allocation to another.
The department has further clarified that urgent cases will not be exempt from the approval process. Officials must obtain prior permission from the finance secretary or another authorised officer before releasing funds, even in emergencies.
The urgent-release facility cannot be used to avoid the required approvals, the department said. The new rules also require officials to enter funds for both development projects and the current budget into the SAP system on the same day the release is approved.
If an entry is delayed, the responsible official will have to provide a valid explanation in writing and place it on record.
The department has warned that failure to follow the new procedures, including unnecessary delays in recording funds, could lead to disciplinary action against the officials concerned.
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