Last Updated on September 25, 2021 at 12:29 pm
The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Friday ordered recovery of excess amount Rs 43.29 crore paid to employees as part of additional salary for discharging poll duties during municipal and Panchayat elections held in the Union Territory in the year 2018.
As per government order, Rs 43.29 crores has been paid to employees along with additional salary due to mistake by DDOs who construed salary to be inclusive of local allowances, HRA, deputation allowance, and traveling allowance, reportedly.
The State Administrative Council (SAC) of the erstwhile of J&K, on December 2018 had sanctioned one-month additional salary/wages/remuneration in favour of employees. As per the order issued by the government excessive amounts were withdrawn, as employees engaged in elections duties, were not entitled to some allowances paid to them in 2018.“DDOs across J&K drew a one-month additional salary in favour of the employees as per their interpretation of the government order”, according to order.
Principal Accountant General, J&K gave clarification on admissibility of various allowances while drawing one-month additional salary in favour of these employees as many DDOs paid allowances like HRA/CCA etc as a part of the salary in pursuance of the order.
The order read that the issue was examined in the department and it came into notice that in terms of Article 27 (b) of J&K Civil Services Regulations (Volume-I), the definition of salary does not include local allowances, HRA, deputation allowance, travelling allowance and the payment of these allowances in favour of concerned employees were not correct.
Further the order read that this resulted in excess payment of Rs. 43.29 crores that needs to be recovered from these officials and also from the employees who in the meanwhile retired on superannuation.
Thus, government has ordered immediate recovery of excess amount paid.
