Chandigarh Administrator orders implementation of revised financial powers

After being empowered to approve schemes and projects worth up to Rs 100 crore, the Chandigarh Administrator, Gulab Chand Kataria, has directed all UT departments to implement the revised delegation of financial powers. The fresh directive is aimed at formalizing the enhanced financial powers that will ensure faster project clearances and more efficient execution of works on the ground level.

The move is in continuation of a recent Centre’s directive empowering the Punjab Governor and UT Administrator to approve schemes and projects worth up to Rs 100 crore.

Under the revised delegation of financial powers issued in February, the UT Administrator can now approve projects up to Rs 100 crore, the Chief Secretary up to Rs 50 crore, administrative secretaries up to Rs 20 crore, and the Chief Engineer up to Rs 3 crore. The Heads of the Departments (HoDs) have been empowered to approve works up to Rs 1.5 crore.

With more financial powers in hand, senior officers and bureaucrats will now be required to strictly adhere to the General Financial Rules (GFR), CPWD Code, Works Manual, economy instructions, and all other applicable Central government norms. For PPP projects, only Government of India guidelines will apply.

Such delegation had been effected in 2018 too, but the earlier delegation had significantly lower limits, with the then Adviser (now designated as Chief Secretary) holding powers ranging from Rs 5 crore to Rs 20 crore depending on functions. Administrative secretaries had powers from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 5 crore, and HoDs from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

The govt sources point out that these revised powers are meant to empower officers, both administrative and technical, to take timely financial decisions without procedural handicaps, while still following all norms and the Central Government’s rules. With expanded authority, monitoring of especially developmental works will now be far more aggressive.

The Administrator has constituted two key committees to assist in administrative approvals.

There will be two committees to streamline the execution of projects. The Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will oversee projects over Rs 5 cr, and the Committee headed by the Finance Secretary will finalise projects up to Rs 5 cr.