Lecture note on General Financial Rules 2005 by Shri.P.V.Moghe, Retired Sr.A.O.

1) INTRODUCTION :-The General Financial Rules, 1963 were prepared by Central Government to bring financial discipline in Govt. Transaction by taking into account the provisions of the constitution. Generally, these are executive instructions. After taking into account the changes in the work in relation to finance during the period from 1963 to 2004, these were revised as a new set of Rules. Viz. General Financial Rules, 2005. These Rules mainly deal with financial management in Govt, Budget, Accounts, procurement of goods and services, contract, loans and grants in aid, Externally Aided projects and a separate compendium of Rules on Advances. The first part contains 293 Rules and the second part contains 84 Rules.2) Financial Management and Budget(a) All moneys received on behalf of Government shall be brought into Govt. Account without any delay and shall be credited to the Heads of Accounts as prescribed in the list of Major & Minor Head.(b) The controlling officer shall arrange to receive the requisite returns from subordinate officers.(c) Credit must follow and not precede the transaction(d) Rule 21 provides standards of financial propriety which must be followed by the officers who are responsible for incurring expenditure.(e) For incurring any expenditure sanctions must be issued.(f) Losses of Govt. Property should be reported to higher Authority.(g) Budget must be prepared and presented to Parliament well in advance to discuss demands made by Department. Unless the Budget is passed, no expenditure can be incurred from 1st April of the New Financial Year. Receipts estimated are to be prepared as per the guidelines in App-II and expenditure estimates are to be prepared taking into account the guide lines in App.III.(h) Finance Ministry may obtain Vote on Account.(i) Every controlling officer shall follow the procedure for control of expenditure within the grant. (R-52) (j) The Department may go for supplementary Grants and also surrender the savings immediately.(k) If the need arises, amount may be drawn from contingent fund.(l) If the authority incurring expenditure has powers of re-appropriation, it may issue such orders.(m) Chief Accounting Authority to take action and ensure that the phenomena of excess expenditure do not arise.

(3) Government Accounts (a) Accounts shall be prepared every year and presented to Parliament in the form prescribed by President on the advice of C&AG of India.(b) Accounting principles as prescribed in Govt. Accounting Rules, 1990 should be followed.(c) Accounts shall be kept in three parts and classification of transactions shall be as per the LMMH.(d) The Major & Minor heads can be opened by CGA on the advice of C&AG of India & sub heads can be opened by Ministries in consultation with finance Deptt. Pr.PAO can open sub heads in Public Account. Object Heads are common. Deptt. of expenditure of Finance Ministry can amend these Heads in consultation of C&AGI.(e) Inter Govt./inter Deptt./pensionery charges will be adjusted as per the prescribed Rules in GAR, 1990.

(4) Works(a) Ministry/Deptt may execute the work upto Rs.10,00,000 at its discretion.(b) Min./Deptt may execute repair work from Rs.10,00,000 to 30,00,000 at P.W.O.(C) Before commencement of work Administrative Approval & Technical sanction must be obtained and Tenders shall be invited. Funds also must be available.(5) Procurement of Goods & Services :(a) Every authority responsible for purchase of goods in public interest shall have responsibility and accountability to bring efficiency, economy, and transparency.(b) CPO shall prepare the list of suppliers who are capable for supplying goods.(c) Hand spun and hand worn viz. khadi items are to be purchased through KVIC.(d) Items upto Rs.15,000/- may be purchased without inviting any bids or quotations.(e)Goods from Rs.15,000/- to Rs.1,00,000/- may be purchased on the recommendation of local purchase committee (Rule 146).(f) Advertised Tender Enquiry shall be made for goods above Rs.25,00,000.(g) Limited Tender enquiry is to be made for goods upto Rs.25,00,000.(h) Maintenance of machinery etc. may be done for one year.(i) Procurement of services and outsourcing of services shall be done after preparation of Tender Enquiry.

(6) Inventory and contract management(a) The Deptt. may prescribe the registers for Receipt and Issue of Goods.(b) Separate accounts shall be kept for fixed Assets (GFR 40).(c) The consumable articles Accounts are to be kept in form GFR 41.(d) The Account of Library Books shall be kept in form GFR 42.(e)Historical Assets A/c is to be kept in form GFR 42.(f) Fixed Assets may be hired to local Bodies/ on the cost of hiring him be based on historical cost.(g) Periodical verification shall be done of stock, Library Books in terms of Rule 192 & 194(h) Unserviceable goods may be disposed earlier by auction or advertise of tendering(i) All Contractors should be invited by Competent authority or under the orders of President in terms of Act 299 (1) Constitution.(j) All property agreements should be executed on behalf of President(k) All general principles specified In Rule 204 shall be followed Grants in Aid and Loans Grants-in-Aid are made by Government to the Institutions which are apart from Government. Those Institutions should be registered in Societies Act, 1860 or Indian Trust Act, 1882 or other Acts. These grants are also made by voluntary organizations, co-operative societies, Local Bodies, State Government etc.(a) General principles of making GIA have been specified in Rule 208.(b) Sanctioning Authority may prescribe the conditions viz. submission of Annual Accounts, utilisation certificate etc.(c) GIA may be sanctioned to meet bona fide expenditure incurred not earlier than the years prior to date of issue of sanction.(d) UCs must be furnished within one year. However, UCs are not required for reimbursement of expenditure previously incurred which is sanctioned on the basis of Audited Statements.(e) The principles for releasing the assistance for centrally sponsored schemes are specified in Rule 215.(f) Ministries/Departments may sanction Loans to State Governments, Local Bodies etc. in terms of Rule 20 of DFP 1978(g) The conditions for grant of Loan & repayment thereof along with interest should be specified in Loan granting order(h) General conditions for regulating loans have been specified in Rule 220(i) Interest on Loans should be calculated in terms of year/month. However, the interest for a period of less than a year should be calculated in terms of days (365/366)(j) Irrecoverable loans are to be written off from Accounts

7) Externally Aided Projects & Government Guaranteea) The DEA, MF, New Delhi shall be the nodal agency to execute legal agreement for loans & grants with Foreign countriesb) CAAA is responsible for implementing financial covenants laid down in agreementc) The External aid shall flow from Foreign Agency to RBI, Mumbai who shall remit the rupee equivalent to CAAA, N Dd) Cash grant should be accounted by CAAA, N De) The procedure for withdrawal has been authorised in GFR 237f) Loans will be accounted under the Major Head 6002-External Debtsg) Budget provisions need be made for Aids received in kind.h) Ministry of Finance, Budget Division is responsible to give guarantee after observing the guidelines specified in GFR 246.Concerned Ministry to levy the guarantee Fees from concerned Institutionsj) The guarantees are classified in eight categories specified in GFR 249The guarantee statements need to be abstracted to Detailed Demands for grants as were outstanding upto 31st March of the second preceding year.8.Miscellaneous(a) Date of Birth once entered into service records should not be altered unless it is a clerical mistake.(b) The Authority keeping details of revenue can give refunds which are always to be accounted for as redemption in receipts.(c) The procedure for prompt payment of GPF to retiring government servants has been prescribed in GFR 273.(d) Permanent advance or interest should be recovered from government servants within 15 days from date of grant of advance.9.Advances to the government servantSubject to the fulfilment of general conditions specified in Rule15 to Rule 26 of GFR and other specified conditions attached to the grant of special advances, the following advances are admissible to government servants:(1) House Building Advance(2) Motor Car/Motor cycle advance(3) Scooter advance including bicycle advance(4) Warm clothing(5) Transfer/Retirement T.A.(6) Leave salary advance(7) Tour T A(8) LTC Advance(9) Festival advance(10) Advance for visits to hill station(11) Advance for natural calamities(12) Departmental advances(13) Advances to the families of the deceased government servant(14) Advance for legal proceedings etc.