Indian Railway Codes and Manuals-Accounts Code-Chapter-8 (VIII)
CHAPTER VIII
INTERNAL CHECK
A. SCOPE AND METHOD
OF INTERNAL CHECK
801. Internal
Check- The check exercised by the Accounts Officer on the
financial transactions of the railway on behalf of the Railway Administration
is called internal check. It is so called to distinguish it from the audit
conducted by the Chief Auditor of the Railway on behalf of the Comptroller and
Auditor General. The internal check should be conducted with reference to- (a)
d Rules and orders issued by the President , the Railway Board, General
Managers of Railways and other subordinate authorities to whom the power to
issue rules or orders has been delegated; (b) the instructions contained in
this and other Indian Railway Codes and any further instructions issued from
time to time by the Railway Board; and (c) the recognised standards of
financial propriety vide paragraph 116 of Financial Code.
802. Unless an exception is specially permitted in
any particular case. All transactions, whether relating to receipts or
expenditure, should be checked cent per cent and no transactions should be
brought into account before they have been completely checked.
803. Test Check.-the
Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer will prescribe for the different
items of work dealt with in various sections the minimum testcheck over the
work of the clerks that should be exercised both by the subordinate supervisory
staff and the Accounts Officer in charge of the sectional; the Accounts Officer
should primarily test check items which do not in the ordinary course pass
through him. The Officer's test-check should lay particular emphasis on the
procedure and method adopted for the work and should bring out whether these
are adequate or over elaborate or whether there is any room for improvement in
either. The results of the testcheck should be systematically recorded and
submitted to the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer for review, at
prescribed intervals.
804. Internal
check of Sanctions and Orders. -All sanctions and orders
involving financial considerations. i. e. affecting railway receipts and
expenditure and establishment charges, issued by the Railway board, or higher
authority are sent to the General managers of the Railways concerned in
duplicate. The duplicate copies of all such sanctions and orders will be made
over to the Financial adviser and Chief Accounts officer promptly by the
General Manager No sanction or order should be accepted and acted upon unless
it is so communicated. The sanctions accorded by authorities subordinate to the
Railway Board will similarly be communicated to the Finance Adviser and Chief
Accounts officer concerned.
805. The Accounts Officer should examine every rule,
order or sanction whether issued by the President or the Railway Board or any
subordinate authority in order to see:-
(a) That the authority framing the rule or according
the sanctions is competent to do so;
(b) That the sanction is definite and thus needs no
reference either to the Sanctioning authority it self or to any higher
authority;
(c) That the rule or order or sanction does not
contravene any general or special orders of any higher authority, and
(d) That in all orders conveying sanctions to
expenditure of definite amounts or upto specified limits, the amounts
sanctioned are always expressed both in words and figures.
If in the opinion of the Accounts Officer, any rule,
order or sanction is open to objection in the light of facts known to him, he
should report the matter to the Railway Board if the rule, order or sanctions
was issued by the president or the Railway Board. In other cases of sanction by
lower authorities, he should take action as indicated in paragraphs 108 and
109.
806. The financial scrutiny of the proposals for
expenditure and sanctions there for accorded by the General manager or by a
subordinate authority is also a part of the functions of the Accounts office
viz. Finance Branch. All proposals for fresh expenditure (i. e. exclusive of
expenditure such as that involved in the grant of increments under the rules,
grant of leave, sanction to officiating arrangements, etc.) which are referred
to Accounts office should be examined in the Accounts office (Finance Branch)
before sanction is accorded by the General manager or before the Railway Board
is addressed for obtaining sanctions. The more important proposals should
receive the personal attention of the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts
officer. The internal check of sanctions to proposals already examined in the
Finance Branch of the Railway should be confined to the verification of the
fact that the Finance Branch has given its concurrence there to. Sanctions
which have not had the concurrence of the Finance Branch should, where such
concurrence is required under rules, be scrutinised both with reference to
competency of sanction and to the propriety of the expenditure.
If the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer
considers that a certain expenditure requires higher sanction, but the General
Manager does not accept his views, he should take action as indicated in paragraph
108.
807. Utmost care and attention should be devoted to
internal check of sanctions to expenditure as once a sanction has been accepted
by the Accounts office, the expenditure may have to be passed against it for a
length of time. When a sanction to expenditure received by the Accounts Officer
has been examined and admitted as regular and correct, the check of expenditure
against the sanction becomes a simple matter as it has merely to be seen that
the expenditure conforms to the provisions of the sanction.
808. Sanctions with a long period of currency as
well as sanctions of a permanent nature should be reviewed periodically so that
the administrative authority may be requested to revise the sanction if such a
course is called for by any event.
809. Date of
effect.- All sanctions take effect from the date of issue,
unless a different date is specified in the order communicating the sanction,
Statutory rules made by the president take effect from the date of their
notification in the Gazette of India, unless as different date is specified in
the rules themselves.
810. Internal check of Delegations of
Financial authority.-All orders of delegation of financial authority
should be scrutinized carefully to see that the delegation is made by a
competent authority and only where the rules or orders of higher authority
approve of such delegation, as once they have been accepted, the internal check
of sanctions as well as of expenditure or other transactions may be conducted
against them for an indefinite length of time. They should receive the personal
attention of the Accounts officer and should be formally accepted by him before
they are admitted in internal check. Any re-delegation of financial powers will
be made by the General Manager only after consultation with the Financial
Adviser and Chief Accounts officer vide note (1) to the preamble to Annexure II
to Chapter V of the Indian Railway Financial Code.
811. Scrutiny of Receipts.-in
scrutinizing receipts, it should be seen that-
(a) the amounts due to the railway for services
rendered, supplies. Made, or for any other reason, are correctly and promptly
assessed and recovered as soon as they fall due;
(b) all receipts are properly brought into accounts;
and
(c) all receipts are correctly classified and, if
they represent amounts due to more than one railway, they are correctly
apportioned among the railways.
812. Internal check of Expenditure
.-Pre-check and Post-check-All claims against the railway should be checked by
the Accounts officer before payment is made (i. e. pre-checked). As exceptions
to this general rule, the following payments may be made before such check, but
they should all be checked in the Accounts Office after payment is made (i. e.
post-checked) :-
(a) Payments from imprest;
(b) Payments from station earnings when permitted
under rules,
(c) Commission deducted by auctioneers from sale
proceeds under their agreement;
(d) Payments of certain classes of pay bills, muster
sheets and labour pay sheets of open line staff specially permitted to be made
by the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer, under paragraphs 813 and
814; and
(e) Payments made in advance to Executive Officers
for purchase of stores etc. pending rendering of the accounts and vouchers.
813. Post-check System.-The Financial
Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer of an open line railway may permit the
payment of any class of pay bills, muster sheets or labour pay sheets before
internal check, either-
(a) when the ordinary procedure of pre-check in
offices under his control is likely to lead any delay and thereby cause any
inconvenience to the staff affected or violate any of the provisions of the
extant statutes (e. g. Payment of Wages Act), or
(b) when a system of post-check is found necessary
in order to secure an even distribution of work throughout the month either in
the bill preparing offices or in the bill checking offices under his control in
the pay Department.
814. Detailed instructions to the Executive should
be prescribed by the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer regarding the
preparation of pay bills, muster sheets and labour pay sheets which are to be
dealt with under the post-check system covering inter-alia the following
points:-
(a) The bills should be prepared with the greatest
accuracy possible and
(b) An abstract in duplicate for each bill should be
furnished by the bill preparing officer bringing out-
(i) the gross amount of pay or wages and allowances
charged
(ii) the deductions made, such as contributions to
provident funds, income tax etc. and
(iii) the net amount payable together with a
certificate to the effect that to the best of his knowledge, it is a correct
abstract of the bill which has been prepared in accordance with extant rules
and orders.
(c) The original of the abstract should be submitted
tot he Accounts officer for authorising payment, the concerned bill being sent
direct or through the Accounts officer, if so directed by him, to the Cashier.
The forwarding endorsement on the Abstract should clearly indicate the latest
date on which payment is to be made to the employees concerned. The Abstract
should be accompanied by all the deduction sheets (e. g., Provident Fund
deduction sheets, income-tax recovery statements, etc.) pertaining to the bill.
(d) No detailed internal check need ordinarily be
exercised in the Accounts Officer before passing such abstracts for payment.
Where possible, however, it should be seen, by comparison with the
corresponding bill for the preceding month, that there is no large variation in
the amount of the Abstract. In cases where the bills are passed through the
Accounts office (i. e., not passed on direct to the Cashier by the
billpreparing officers), the gross and net amounts of the Abstract should be
verified and the allocation checked from the corresponding bills before passing
the Abstracts for payment.
(e) All bills under the post-check system should be
prominently enfaced by means of a rubber-stamp or otherwise, as follows-
"Passed on the authority of………….(designation of the bill preparing
officer). Should be returned to Accounts Office for check within ten days of
receipt by the Cashier."
(f) No payment should be made by a Cashier on a bill
under the post-check system, until after the receipt of the corresponding
Abstract duly passed by the Accounts Officer. On receipts of a passed Abstract,
the Cashier should link up the corresponding bill, if received separately by
him, and make payments on the dates specified on the Abstract. The paid bills
together with the connected Abstracts should be returned so as to reach the
Accounts Office within ten days of the receipt by the Cashier.
(g) If any item included in such bills remain
unpaid, the unpaid amounts should be dealt with in the usual way. A copy of the
unpaid wages list being furnished to the to the Accounts Officer and to the
authority who prepared the bill.
(h) In the Accounts office, all bills under the
post-check system should, on receipt from the Cashier, be subjected to all the
internal checks prescribed in the following paragraphs, and any irregularities
noticed should be promptly reported to the bill preparing office for
regulation.
815. Scrutiny of Expenditure .-All
claims against the railway should be scrutinized to see-
(a) that the expenditure is incurred by an officer
competent to incur it ;
(b) that the remission of revenue has been
sanctioned by competent authority;
(c) that all prescribed preliminaries to expenditure
have been observed, e. g. that proper estimates have been framed and approved
by competent authority for works expenditure;
(d) that it is covered by the grant at the disposal
of the officer incurring it or by funds reappropriated by competent authority
for the purpose;
(e) that the expenditure does not contravene any
rules and orders in force, or any general or special orders issued by competent
authority;
(f) that the expenditure does not involve a breach
of the canons of financial propriety;
(g) that the expenditure sanctioned for a limited
period is not admitted beyond that period without further sanction;
(h) that, in the case of recurring charges which are
payable on the fulfillment of certain conditions or till the occurrence of a
certain event, a certificate is forthcoming from the drawing officer to the
effect that the necessary conditions have been fulfilled or the event has not
yet occurred;
(i) that the expenditure has been properly and fully
vouched for an that payment has been so recorded as to render a second claim on
the same account impossible;
(j) that the charge has been correctly classified
and
(k) that if a charge is debitable to the personal
account of a contractor, employee or other individual or is recoverable from
him under any rule or order, it is recorded as such in a prescribed account.
816. Check of Bills.-All bills should,
in so far as they represent claims against the railway, be scrutinized as
required in the preceding paragraph. They should, in addition, be checked to
see-
(a) that they are in the prescribed form, are
written in ink and are in original;
(b) That they are in English/Hindi or if in any
other language, have been rendered into English/Hindi;
(c) That their totals are given both in words and in
figures, that there are no erasures, and that any alterations in the totals are
attested as many times as they are made;
(d) That Fund and Income-tax deductions, where
applicable have been correctly made;
(e) That they bear a certificate, wherever
necessary, from the departmental officer that the services for which the
payment is claimed have been actually rendered;
(f) That if the proof of the correctness of a claim
does not accompany the bill (e. g. the leave account of a subordinate for whom
leave salary is drawn), a certificate is furnished that the claim has been
checked with the relevant document and found correct;
(g) That if the bill is for tools or other articles
of equipment for which an inventory is prescribed, it has been certified by the
departmental officer that the necessary entries have been made in the relevant
stock Account.
Note:-
in respect of internal checks of Pay Bills, please refer to Chapters XIII to
XIV.
817. Check of Paid Vouchers.-Paid
vouchers and bills on which no more payments can be made are received from the
Pay Department, vide para 1961. On receipt of the paid vouchers and bills in
the Accounts office, the column relating to "Date of return by pay
Department", of the Bills Register (A. 1104) should be filled up. Bills
which were not pre-checked should then be sorted out and sent to the section
concerned for internal check, vide para 814 (h). Note.-Bills outstanding with
the Cashier as disclosed by a review of the Register of Bills, (A 1104 should
be called for keeping in view the time limit prescribed in para 1988. 818. All
bills, whether under the pre-check or the post-check system, on which payment
has been made should be checked to see.
(a) that the acknowledgements of payments are in
English or in Hindi, and if in any other language have been rendered into
English or Hindi;
(b) that the names of payees mentioned in the bills
tally with the signatures obtained in acknowledgement of the amount paid;
(c) That the payment has been witnessed, where so
required, by the official named in the bill and that the acknowledgement is
unqualified and that, prime facie, the voucher is a full acquittance of the
amount due so that a second claim against the Railway on the same account is
impossible;
(d) That where a person other than payee himself has
received the amount, the payment has been made under proper authority;
(e) That vouchers are stamped, where necessary;
(f) That if the amounts are not acknowledged by the
payees, such as wages paid to workshop staff through the Boxing System, the
Departmental Officer has certified that the payment has been made by him or in
his presence; and
(g) That each voucher has been cancelled efficiently
and prominently.
Note.-Receipt
stamps affixed to paid vouchers should be punched or defaced with
"Paid" stamp.
819. Finger Print Check System.-The
nature of check exercised by the Finger Print Examiner is briefly indicated
below-
(a) Verification of thumb Impressions on the Service
Records with those recorded on the health certificates of the employee;
(b) Verification of thumb impressions on the Special
Contribution to Provident fund applications and gratuity bills with those
obtained on Service Records, before and after payment;
(c) Checking of thumb impression on the paid
vouchers for some consecutive months;
(d) Verification of thumb impression on paid
vouchers with those recorded in the Service Records;
(e) Verification of thumb impressions on privilege
Ticket Orders with those recorded in the Service Records;
(f) Verification of thumb impressions on the pay
sheets of the staff employed in small road-side and flag-stations.
Note.-The
Finger Print Examiner should occasionally witness payments independently in the
course of surprise check and compare the thumb impressions of the payees with
those recorded in the previous month.
820. Internal
check of Debt and Remittance Transactions .-The general
principles and rules of internal check which govern check of expenditure apply
mutatis mutandis to disbursement, under Debt and remittance heads (see para
208). In the case of repayment, the Accounts Office should check the payment
against the original receipt and should satisfy itself that the repayment is
made according to the rules, regulations or orders which govern the
transactions. Similarly, in case of a payment which is to be subsequently
recovered. The Accounts Office should ascertain that the payment has been made
in accordance with the extant rules and regulations and should further watch
the moneys are regularly recovered from the debtor.
821. Deposits.-In
the case of moneys received to be held as deposit with the railway, it should
be examined whether such moneys can be so held by virtue of general or special
orders of the General Manager or higher authorities.
It should be seen that no item is held as a deposit
which could be credited as a revenue receipt or taken in reduction of
expenditure.
In respect of refunds of deposits, the Accounts
Office should examine that there are proper voucher in support of the amounts
to be repaid and should check each repayment against the original receipt
either individually or against the total credit in a particular account in
order to ensure that repayments do not exceed the amounts originally received
and credited to the railway.
It is the function of the accounts Department to see
that balances in deposit accounts are correctly carried over from year to year,
Any deposits remaining unclaimed in excess of such periods as have been
prescribed in paragraph 321 are to be credited as receipts of the railway.
822. Provident Funds-Contributory
and non-Contributory.-the internal Check of transactions pertaining to
Provident funds controlled by Government mainly consists in seeing that these
transactions conform to the rules or regulations governing the administration
of each Fund and any subsidiary instructions issued thereunder.
Subscriptions to a Provident Fund can be received
only from such railway/government servants as are either required or permitted
by the rules of the Fund to subscribe to it.
The Accounts Office should further see that
subscriptions and any other dues recoverable under the rules of a fund are duly
and regularly recovered from the Railway/Government servants concerned. In the
case of Contributory provident Funds, the Accounts Office has also to see that
Governments share is properly calculated and brought to account. Finally, it
should be verified that the accounts of the funds are correct both in total and
in the detailed accounts of the subscribers.
823. Pension.-The
internal check of pension payments consists in verifying the qualifying
service, the pay drawn during the last ten months, check of the Service Record,
Leave Account etc., and a certification of the amount of Pension, Family
Pension and Death-cum-retirement Gratuity etc. (For detailed instructions in
this connection see Chapter X).
824. Remittance
Transactions .-In the internal check of Remittance Transactions, it
should be seen that debits and credits are cleared either by receipt of cash or
by book adjustment under the relevant service or revenue heads of accounts or
have been paired off by the corresponding credits or debits within the same or
in another Accounts Circle. An important part of the check is the scrutiny of
balances from month to order to effect their early clearance and to determine
the accuracy of the outstandings at the end of the year. For detailed rules in
this connection, see Chapters IV and V.
825. Internal
check of Workshop Accounts.-The internal check of Workshop
accounts will include, inter alia, an examination of any cost accounts, where
maintained, in order to see that they are correctly compiled. Appreciable
discrepancies between the aggregate of the expenditure charged to various jobs
and the figures in the expenditure account should be investigated. Detailed
rules relating to check of workshop expenditure are laid down in the Indian
Railway Code for the mechanical Department (Workshops).
826. Internal
check of Stores Transactions .-The internal check of stores
transactions of a railway should be directed to ascertain that the departmental
regulations governing purchase, receipt and issue, custody, condemnation, sale
and stock-taking of stores are properly carried into effect, and to bring to
notice any important deficiencies in quantities of stores held, or any grave
defects in the system of control. Detailed rules in this connection are laid
down I the Indian Railway Code for the Stores Department.
827. As regards purchases of stores, Accounts should
see that.-
(a) The quantity to be ordered has been correctly
estimated on the basis of past consumption and/or other factors.
(b) These are properly sanctioned, are made
economically and in accordance with any rules or orders made by competent
authority for purchase of stores for the railways; in particulars, when stores
are purchased from contractors, the system of competitive tendering is adopted
and the purchase is made from the lowest tenderer, unless there are recorded
reasons to the contrary.
(c) The rates paid agree with those shown in the
contractor or agreement for the supply of the stores
(d) In the case of advance payment, pending receipt
of materials, the relevant documents in terms of the contract are enclosed with
the bill.
(e) Certificates of quality and quantity are
furnished by the passing and receiving railway servants before payment is made
and
(f) Purchase orders have not been split up so as to
evade the sanction of higher authority which may be necessary with reference to
the total amount of the orders. Accounts should call attention to cases of
uneconomical purchase of stores and to any losses, which may be clearly
attributed to the defective or inferior nature of stores, which were accepted
and certified to be satisfactory in quality.
828. Accounts should see that the accountal of
receipts of stores whether purchased or otherwise obtained and of their issues
and balances are correctly maintained. Where a scale has been prescribed for
issue of stores of any particulars kind, it should be seen that the scale is
not exceeded and that the scale is also subjected to a periodical review for
modifications preferably annual with reference to the actual requirements.
829. Stores, represent a locking up of capital,
which is not justifiable unless essential, in order to effect economy in this
direction, Accounts should see that the balance in hand does not exceed the
maximum limit prescribed by competent authority and is not in excess of
requirements for a reasonable period. The movement of Stores should also be
reviewed so as to regulate further purchases.
830. The accounting for an maintenance of
unserviceable stores which cannot be utilized by the department in whose
custody they are kept, involve waste of labour and space, the retention of such
stores in excess of the probable requirements of the department in the near
future may result in loss through obsolescence and deterioration. Accounts
should, therefore, see that measures are taken to survey, segregate and
consider the disposal of unserviceable, surplus and obsolete stores in
accordance with the procedure prescribed for this purpose.
831. It is an important function of the Accounts Department
to ensure that the articles in stock are counted periodically and otherwise
examined to verify the accuracy of the quantity balances in the books (e. f.
paragraph 1704) Accounts should, to the extent authorised in the Indian Railway
Code for the Stores Department, assume responsibility for the physical
verification of stores and investigate balances of stores, if any discrepancies
in the stores accounts suggest that such action is necessary. Where, under the
rules, Executive Officers are required to verify periodically stores in their
custody, Accounts should call for certificates of verification of stores from
the Executive officers concerned and see that the system of verification
adopted by the executive is adequate and proper. All discrepancies found on
stock-taking, whether by Accounts or the Executive should be properly
investigated and adjusted. Wherever possible, the staff responsible for the
verification should be independent of the staff which is responsible for the
physical custody of the stock or for keeping accounts of it.
832. Where a priced account is maintained, Accounts
should see that.-
(a) the stores are priced with reasonable accuracy
and the rates initially fixed are review from time to time and are correlated
with market rates and revised where necessary.,
(b) the value accounts tally with the accounts of
works and of departments connected with stores transactions, that the total of
the valued account tallies with the outstanding amount in the general accounts
and that the numerical balance of stock material is reconcilable with the total
of value balances in the accounts at the rates applicable to the various
classes of stores;
(c) steps are taken for the adjustment of profits or
losses due to revaluation, stocktaking or other causes, and that these are not
indicative of any serious disregard of rules
(d) irregular balances and the outstanding under
suspense heads, Purchases, Stock Adjustment Account, Stores-in Transit are
reviewed periodically with a view to expedite clearance; and
(e) steps are taken to rationalise the items stocked
and to ensue that the nonstandard items with 'Nil' balances are closed properly
and that the new stock items are introduced after due scrutiny regarding their
necessity as well as the initial quantities to be procured.
833. Fuel Accounts.-The
payment for the supply of coal/coke is arranged by the Accounts officer (Fuel
Accounts Branch) of each Railway, on receipt of bills for the same from the
subsidiaries of Coal India Ltd. supported by suppliers' copy of Wagon Disposal
Statements, Despatch. Advice notes/Forwarding notes, by debit to the head
'Purchases'. These bills are passed for payment by the Accounts officer after
checking with reference to entries in the Wagon Disposal Statement, Despatch Advice
notes/Forwarding notes and the Grade Authorisation Certificate issued by C. M.
A., Dhanbad without verifying the fact whether the coal has actually been
received or not.
Particulars of coal/coke wagons received at the
sheds, shops and transhipment points are shown in their trimonthly receipt
returns. For the coal/coke wagons received in the sheds and shops the debits
are raised by the Fuel Accounts Branch against the Divisional/Workshop Accounts
Officers concerned by credit to Purchases. The wagons received at transhipment
points are debited to SIT by credit to Purchases.
The payments made by each Railway for the coal/coke
wagons, as shown in the Wagon Disposal Statements, are linked with the wagons
shown as received by the sheds, workshops and transhipment points in their
periodical receipt returns, through the process of a centralised linking
procedure on computer.
Value of the wagons paid for buy the Railway which
are found to have been received on the same Railway are noted down in the
Suspense Register maintained in its Fuel Accounts Branch to clear the debits
lying under the head Purchases. For the wagons paid for by the Railway which
are found to have been received on other railways the debits are raised against
the latter by the Fuel Accounts Branch of the Railway which made the payment.
The wagons which remain unlinked on the computer
after the prescribed period are traced manually and their cost adjusted.
For the wagons paid for but not linked as received
claims are preferred against the Chief claims Officer, Eastern Railway, Dhanbad
or the Chief Claims Officer of the Railway through which the wagon was to be
received. The Chief Claims Officer concerned will furnish tracing particulars
of the wagons, wherever possible and for the rest he will accept liability.
Debits will be raised against Railways concerned on the basis of it. For the
wagons which are reported to have been received on the Railway which cannot be
linked as received on any of its sheds and shops the matter is referred to the
CCO of the Railway to trace the wagons. For the wagons traced the head
Purchases is credited by debit to the other Railway or the unit concerned of
the home Railway.
The coal wagons received on the Railway but not
linked as received on any of its sheds/workshops are termed as missing wagons.
The value of hard core of missing coal wagons remaining under Purchases or SIT
(for wagons received at Transhipment points, the contents of which are not
traceable further) for over three years from the month of payment, because
these remained unlinked after all the phases of mechanised linking followed by
manual efforts, are transferred to Abstract-K with the approval of Railway
Board. The proposals to be submitted to Board in this regard should have the
concurrence of Audit and these should be supported by a certificate from the
Commercial Department that the wagons could not be traced in spite of all
efforts.
The value of unconnected coal wagons (wagons
received in the sheds which could not be lined with the payments made there
for) lying under purchases/stores in Transit after exhausting all processes of
mechanised linking and efforts at manual linking thereafter are transferred to
Stock Adjustment Account after one year from the month of accountal. Efforts
are continued to clear these wagons through manual linking by home Railway or
with the receipt of debits from other Railways. The value of wagons which
remain unconnected in spite of all efforts is transferred from Stock Adjustment
Account to Abstract after three years, from the month of accountal, with the
Board's approval after obtaining the concurrence of Audit.
The suspense registers for the under noted heads of
Accounts maintained in the Fuel Accounts Branches are not posted in detail.
Only lumpsum entries are made and relevant machine produced reports in support
of these entries are filed in the guard files month wise in serial order.
(a) Purchase-Fuel )Coal)
(b) Stores-In Transit-Fuel(Coal)
(c) Stock Adjustment Account-Fuel (coal)
Priced ledgers for the loco coal are maintained in
the Divisional/Work shop a Accounts Officers.
Detailed procedures in this connection is laid down
in the circulars issued by the Railway Board. It is being incorporated in the
Indian Railway Code for the Stores Department.
834. Internal Check of Catering Accounts.-The Departmental Catering on Railways is required to
run on a 'No Profit No Loss' basis. A proforma Profit and loss Account is
prepared for each unit after taking into account the receipts from Sales and
all direct and indirect expenses in running the Departmental catering units The
Accounts Check of Profit and loss Account of each unit will cover not only the
usual check of receipts and payments but also correct preparation of the
proforma Profit and Loss Accounts.
835. Internal Check of Grants-in-Aid.-The
internal check of sanctions to grantsin-aid should be conducted with reference
to the relevant rules contained in Chapter XVI.
836. Utilization of the Grants for the purpose for
which sanctioned.-The Accounts officer should satisfy him self either at the
time of scrutinizing the proposal for the sanction to the grants-in-aid or at
the time of internal check of the sanctions as the case may be that the
sanctioning authority has satisfied itself that the funds will be utilized for
the purpose for which these were sanctioned and that the sanctioning authority
has also laid down specifically the conditions attached to the grants.
Acertificate of actual utilisation of the grants should be obtained from the
sanctioning authority, by Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer in every
case of grant made for specific purposes within the prescribed target date.
837. Refund of Unspent Balances.-At
the time of inspection of the offices of the sanctioning authority, it may also
be examined that certificates regarding unspent balances for grants are
obtained from the institutions and that the unspent balances remitted by the
latter are promptly remitted to stations of cash offices.
838. Extent of check at Local Inspections
.-The quantum and extent of check during local inspection may be decided by the
Financial Adviser and Chief accounts Officer. The accounts of the institutions
receiving grants Rs. 1 lakh (recurring) per annum and Rs. 5 lakhs
(non-recurring) should be subjected to test check by the Accounts Department.
839. Audits of Accounts of Private
institutions, Receiving Grants-in-Aid.- Whereas it is not necessary for
the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer to conduct the audit of the
transactions of the private bodies receiving rants he should ensure that the
sanctions for the grants are made by the competent authority after referring to
statements of accounts of the institutions duly audited by registered auditors
wherever the amount of the grant is more than Rs. 1000 at a time.
840. Propriety of
Expenditure .-It is an essential function of the Accounts
Officer to bring to light not only cases to clear irregularity but also every
matter which. In his judgement appears to involve improper expenditure or waste
of public money or stores even though the accounts themselves may be in order
and no obvious irregularity has occurred. It is thus not sufficient to see that
sundry rules or orders of competent authority have been observed. It is of
equal importance to see that the broad principles of orthodox finance are borne
in mind not only by Executive Officers but also by sanctioning authorities.
841. No precise rules can be laid down for
regulating the course of internal check against propriety. Its object is to
support a reasonably high standard of public financial morality, sound
financial administration and devotion to the financial interests of the
Government. Accounts officers, in the performance of their duties should, in
any case, apply the general principles laid down in paragraph 116 of Financial
code which have for long been recognized as standards of financial propriety.
The proper discharge of duties by an Accounts Officer in this field is a very
delicate matter and requires much discretion and tact. A challenge against
expenditure should not be expressed as based on "standards of financial
propriety" but as transgressing universally accepted standard of conduct
or financial administration.
842. Check of Departmental Manuals.-Though
the Accounts Department is not required to undertake the formal scrutiny of
departmental manuals of other departments when these so far as financial and
accounting matters are concerned, merely reproduce extracts from codes,
Regulations, Rules etc., yet any rules in them which introduce new detailed
financial accounting or Internal check procedure or authorise deviations from
the procedure laid down in Indian Railway Codes, should be examined by the
Accounts officer with a view to see whether they are intra vires of the
authority issuing the manual and in accordance with correct principles.
843. Check of
Records not submitted to the Accounts office.-Initial records which are not submitted to the
Accounts office in support of claims or in support of the correctness of an
account of receipts or expenditure rendered to the Accounts office should be
inspected locally to such extent as the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts
Officer may prescribe subject to the general orders contained in Chapter XVII.
B. RESULTS OF INTERNAL
CHECK
844. Irregular Payment and
Objections.-
(1) There should ordinarily be no irregular payments
in connection with expenditure subject to pre-check. Claims which are not
susceptible of internal check should be returned to the officer submitting them
for amendment or explanation. If in a particular case, the explanation of the
officer submitting a claim or an amended claim is not accepted or, if the claim
is considered irregular by the Accounts officer in internal check. The claim
may either be disallowed or passed provisionally pending regularization in accordance with the
following rules.:-
(a) As a General rule a claim may be disallowed only
when there is prima facie evidence that it is incorrect and that its payment
might result in loss to the Railway.
(b) Claims though technically open to objection e.
g. want of proper allocation or of sanction to estimate or appropriation must
be admitted if they are prima facie correct and if the railway is clearly
liable for them and claims which are open to substantial objection but which do
not affect the title of the payee to the amount claimed may be admitted at the
discretion of the Financial adviser and Chief Accounts Officer if the
postponement of disbursement till the removal of the objection is likely, in
his opinion, to cause undue delay and hard ship to the payee. Certain claims
may, in the opinion of the Accounts Officer be irregular but General manager or
any subordinate authority to whom the power has been delegated (vide paragraphs
1103-G and 1136-E) may in spite of the view of the Accounts Officer take upon
himself the responsibility of ordering that the claim be accepted. In all such
cases where claims considered as technically open to objection or regular by
the Accounts Officer are passed as technically open to objection or irregular
by the Accounts Officer are passed for payment the expenditure should be passed
provisionally and placed under objection.
(2) Payments made before scrutiny by the Accounts
office, if found to be irregular in internal check, should also be placed under
objection.
845. Correct preparation of Bills.-The correct
preparation of bills in every particular by Departmental Officers should be
insisted on by the Accounts Officer. Failure in this respect necessitates a
large accounts staff than would otherwise be necessary and leads to delays in
payments. Instances of gross or repeated carelessness in the preparation of
bills should be brought specially to the notice of the head of the office
concerned and when necessary, to the head of the Department or of the Railway.
846. Waiving of Objections .-To avoid unnecessary
correspondence in trivial cases or to avoid delay in the settlement of claims
against the railway or the final adjustment of transactions in the accounts,
the Accounts officers are permitted to waive objections in the following cases
in respect of transactions for the final check of which they are responsible.
The principle underlying the grant of these powers to the Financial Adviser and
Chief Accounts Officer is that when an objection is of purely formal nature and
the amount involved relatively trifling and Financial Adviser and Chief
Accounts Officer has reason to think that the expenditure will be sanctioned by
the authority competent to sanction if formally referred to it, it may be
waived by the Financial Adviser and chief Accounts Officer himself without such
a reference.
(a) The Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts
Officer/Additional Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer or his Deputy
may waive the objection if there is irregular expenditure not exceeding Rs.
100/- in any individual case any other Accounts Officer may exercise the same
power up to a limit of Rs. 25/- If the irregularity is such as likely to recur
the Drawing Officer should be told that the expenditure, although admitted was
irregular.
(b) If an expenditure although justifiable in
itself, is not covered by sufficient sanction or if full proof, such as is
afforded by vouchers and sub-vouchers, that it has been incurred is not
forthcoming, the financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer etc. may admit
expenditure upto a limit of Rs. 500/- in each case and an Accounts Officer
incharge of a sub-accounts office upto a limit of Rs. 50/- in each case,
provided.-
(i) the expenditure is not of a recurring nature;
(ii) if the expenditure is not covered by sufficient
sanction, the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer etc. is satisfied
that the authority empowered to sanction the expenditure would accord sanction
requested to do so, and that unnecessary inconvenience and trouble will be
caused if the bill is returned unpassed for want of such sanction;
(iii) if sufficient proof that the expenditure has
been incurred has not been produced, the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts
Officer etc. is satisfied that undue trouble will be caused by his insisting on
the submission of such proof, and sees no reason to doubt, that the charge has
been actually paid.
(c) The recovery of payment not exceeding Rs. 200/-
in each case, may be waived by the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts
Officer/Additional Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer or a Deputy, if
the amount, for any reason becomes irrecoverable. An Officer in independent
charge of a sub-accounts office or in charge of a branch of an accounts office may
exercise this power upto Rs. 20/- in each case.
(d) Any Accounts Officer may waive recovery of under
charge upto Rupees two and Rupees five in individual items of coaching and
goods earnings respectively, and the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer/Additional
Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts officer or his Deputy may exercise similar
power upto Rs. 50 and Rs. 20 respectively. Any tendency on the part of the
station staff to take undue advantage of this concession should be prevented.
(e) Any Accounts Officer may write-off losses on
account of base or counterfeit coins and may write off freight on missing or
unclaimed goods or parcels upto any amount. The Financial Adviser and Chief
Accounts officer/Additional Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer or his
Deputy may write-off other irrecoverable earnings upto Rs. 1000/- in each case
when he is satisfied that in the circumstances in which the amount has become
irrecoverable the Railway Administration would write-off the amount if approached.
847. The power given to Accounts Officer under the
preceding paragraph of waiving recovery of over-payments or undercharges may be
exercised where the irregularity has come to notice in the course of internal
check. Objections raised by Audit may be waived by the Accounts Officer only
with the consent of Audit. A register in Form A. 847 should be maintained of
all recoveries foregone by the Accounts Officer under the powers given under
paragraph 846 and those waived with the concurrence of audit. This register
should be open to inspection by Audit at any time. Note.-Recoveries foregone by
the Administrative and Executive authorities should also be recorded in the
Register of Recoveries Foregone (A. 847). Form A. 847
848. Treatment of Erroneous Payments.-When erroneous
payments have been passed for a considerable time, owing either to a wrong
interpretation of financial rules or to oversight, the following procedure
should be observed:-
(a) when a wrong interpretation of a financial rule
has been followed in an Accounts Office, the new interpretation should be given
effect to/from the date which the competent authority may decide, when giving
the correct interpretation. If no date is specifically fixed, the correct
interpretation will be given effect to/from the date of issue of orders of the
competent authority stating the correct interpretation.
(b) when erroneous payments have been passed through
oversight in the Accounts Office, payments made less than twelve months ago,
should be recovered, and the orders of competent authority obtained with regard
to previous overpayments. The justification that overpayments had been received
in good faith should not be regarded as an adequate reason for not enforcing
recovery. Every over payment of money to a railway servant is and must be
regarded as a debt owed to public and all possible action should be taken to
recover it with despatch.
849. Objections relating to Expenditure .-Apart from
enquiries to elicit further information and comments of a general nature for
future guidance, the principal results of internal check should be communicated
to the authority responsible for the expenditure through Disallowance Lists (A.
850) or Objection Statements (A. 851) in accordance with the rules in the
succeeding Paragraphs.
850. Disallowance Lists.-All disallowances from or
objectionable items noticed in establishment bills should be communicated to
the officer who submitted the bills through Disallowance lists in form A. 850.
Form A. 850
851. Objection Statements.-On open lines of
Railways, all objectionable items noticed in the internal check of bill or
documents other than establishment bills should be communicated to the officer
concerned through Objection Statements in Form A. 851. Irregular or
objectionable outlay (of the nature of expenditure incurred in the absence, or
in excess, of sanctioned estimates or appropriations), which comes to notice
after the postings in the register of works and allocation registers are
totalled up and reconciled with general books, should also be intimated to the
offices responsible for the outlay through Form A. 851. Form A. 851
852. In all Disallowance Lists (A. 850) and
Objection Statements (A. 851), the reasons for the disallowances or objection
should be stated concisely and clearly, the rules or orders on which each
disallowance or objection is based being mentioned. Departmental officers are
required to record their replies to disallowances and objections against each
item in the Disallowance List or Objection Statement in the column provided for
the purpose. These replies, together with the Accounts officer's rejoinder or
final orders, should be entered in the office copies of forms A. 850 and A. 851
kept in the Accounts office. On the final disposal of a disallowance list or as
Objection Statement, it will be returned to the Officer responsible for the
outlay, for record in his office.
853. As soon as the accounts for a month are closed,
the Disallowance Lists (A. 850) and Objection Statements (A.851) issued during
that month should be carefully scrutinized and all items still unadjusted or
which are still held as objectionable should be transferred to the Objection
Book (A. 854) under the appropriate headings there of (c. f. paragraph 851).
All items finally disallowed should be transferred to Savings Register 9A.
855).
854. Objection
Book.-An Objection Book in Form A. 854 should be maintained in
each Accounts Office or Section of Accounts Office responsible for the internal
check of expenditure.
855. Savings
Register.-A register in Form A. 855 should be maintained in each
Accounts office or Section of an Accounts Office to record all savings or
avoidance of expenditure or increase in earnings as a result of the internal
check of the financial advice of the accounts Officer. All entries made in this
register should be attested by the Accounts officer. Form A. 855
856. Classification
of Objections.-For the purpose of posting the Objection Book (Form
A. 854) the various items of expenditure held under objection are classified as
follows:-
(a) Want of sanctioned estimate.
(b) Excess over sanctioned estimate.
(c) Want of sanctioned appropriation.
(d) Excess over sanctioned appropriation.
(e) Miscellaneous, e. g., irregular personal claims,
absence of vouchers, breach of a financial rule, provision acceptance of
allocation of estimates.
857. Posting of
objection Book.-Separate pages should be allotted in the
Objection book for each class of objection. Objections should be recorded under
the appropriate classes and arranged by the class of expenditure, viz.,
Capital, Development Fund, Revenue open Line Works Revenue, Depreciation
Reserve Fund, Accident Compensation, Safety and passenger Amenities fund and
Revenue, to which they relate. All objections raised by the Accounts Office, as
a result of internal check, or by the Statutory Audit Office should, after
their posting in the Objection book, be watched until they are cleared. An
objection may be cleared.
(a) by the recovery of the expenditure held to be
irregular, if such a course is permissible under the rules, or
(b) by the withdrawal of the objection raised,
either as a result of further information or on receipt of the necessary
sanction of competent authority.
Objection raised by audit should be recorded under
the month in which the objection is raised reference being quoted to the number
and date of the document concerned. Even if an objection raised by Audit is not
accepted by the Accounts officer as valid it should be recorded in the
objection Book (A. 854), if convenient in a separate portion of the register,
and the objection should not be considered as having been cleared until it has
been withdrawn by Audit.
858. Subsidiary
objection Book.-A Subsidiary Objection Book should be maintained for
the record of petty objections like "want of detailed vouchers" and
"payee's receipts". This book should be examined every month
following that to which the objections relate should be transferred to the main
objection Book without any details beyond the serial numbers of the items or
other indication that may be necessary for identification. This procedure may,
at the discretion of the Railway Board, be extended to other definite classes
of objections of a similar nature, provided that such objection do not involve
substantial deviations from the rules.
859. Review of objection Book.-The Objection Books
should be closed every month by the 15th and a review of the action taken
should be prepared and submitted along with the objection Book to the Accounts
officer in charge of the section. Items which have remained under objection for
more than three months should be brought out separately in this view for the
special notice of the Accounts officer.
860. Expenditure which has been authorised by the
General Manager of the Railway but which requires the sanction of higher
authority should be recorded in a separate folio of the objection book (A.854)
through which the receipt of the sanction should be watched. Such expenditure
should be separately mentioned in the statement to be prepared under para 863.
861. Register of
Serious irregularities.-Every Accounts officer, 'Should in
addition to the objection Book (Form A. 854) maintained a record of the more
important irregularities which he has noticed in the course of his internal
check or inspection, or which have been brought to his notice by Audit, and of
the action taken by him. All cases of losses, frauds, or embezzlements in his
accounts circle should also be recorded in the register. This record should be
open to inspection by Statutory Audit at any time. The entries in the register
should be reviewed by the Accounts officer once a month and suitable action
taken on all outstanding cases.
862. Regularisation
of objections.-it is the duty of the Accounts officer to take
all necessary action without avoidable delay to secure the regularisation of
all expenditure placed under objection. The Accounts officer should , if
necessary, send extracts from the objection book to the Divisional officers
concerned and ask them in writing to intimate to him the action taken by them
in each case. With regard to all serious irregularities, the Accounts officer
should see that adequate action, disciplinary or otherwise, is taken and that
the responsibility of the supervising staff is enforced. If the Financial
Adviser and Chief Accounts officer considers that any irregularity is so
serious and important that it should be brought to the notice of the Railway
board at once or that the action taken by the administration in particular case
is insufficient he should request the General Manager to report the matter to
the Railway Board for orders, furnishing at the same time for transmission to
the Railway Board a statement of the reasons for which he considers such action
imperative.
863. Half-yearly
objectionable Items Statement.-A half-yearly statement of all
objections which have been outstanding for six months and more at the close of
the accounts for September and March should be prepared in Form A. 863 given
below by the 20th June and 20th December respectively. The statement should be
carefully scrutinised by the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts officer to
ensure that prompt and suitable action is being taken to remove the objection.
The following instructions should be observed in connection with the
preparation of this statement :-
(1) The statement for the half year ending 31st
March should include items of objections relating to the account for the half
year ending 30th September of the preceding year but not cleared upto the close
of the accounts for march. Similarly, the statement for the half year ending
30th September should include items of objections relating to the accounts for
the half year ending 31st March but not cleared upto the close of the accounts
of following September.
(2) The items of objection included in this
statement should be grouped under the following headings:- (a) (b) (c) No
Estimate. Excess over Estimates. Miscellaneous items.
(3) The total number of items and the total amount
of expenditure under objection should be shown under each group, the following
items being detailed-
(a) Those requiring Railway Board's sanction.
(b) Those in which the Accounts officer considers
that sufficient action is not being taken by the local administration or
officers.
(c) Those in which action taken locally is
sufficient but in which it may appear that regularisation is delayed for want
of due attention elsewhere.
(4) in the case of objections under the group
"Excess over Estimates" the amount of estimate should be shown under
the appropriate column
(5) The action, taken by the Accounts, officer to
secure clearance of items under objections should be stated briefly but clearly
in the column provided for the purpose.
864. Reports to the Railway Board.-any matters of
major financial importance which, in the opinion of the Financial Adviser and
chief Accounts officer are likely to be of interest to the Railway board should
be brought to the notice of the latter as and when they arise.
865. Rectification of mistakes in Accounts.-mistakes
discovered in the accounts after they have been compiled should be rectified in
accordance with the procedure detailed in para 922 of Financial code.
866. Objection relating to Receipts.-The clearance
of objections raised in the course of scrutiny of receipts, should be watched
in the same way as that of objections relating to expenditure. The objections
relating to traffic receipts may be against another railway or another railway
or another Government Department or against home railway stations. Those against
other railways should be recorded in a separate register. Those against home
line stations, whether raised by the Financial Adviser and Chie Accounts
officer or by Audit should be recorded in a register separately by each station
and by each month, until such time as the objections have been either withdrawn
or have been taken into account in the Station Balance Sheet. Subsequent watch
over their clearance being effected through the Station Balance Sheet (cf.
Chapter XXVII). Objections against another department will be recorded in the
Accounts office Balance Sheet 9cf. Chapter XXIII). Similarly, all items passed
provisionally in the course of internal check pending verification with the
clearance vouchers or other documents should also be entered in the register
and their connected should be watched. The objection outstanding at the end of
a month should be carried forward to the next month's account.
Outstanding more than twelve months old should be
separately watched through a special register. A list of such oustandings
should be prepared by the 20th June and in this list only items of objections
exceeding Rs. 250/- need be detailed. Items of Rs. 250/- and below may be
grouped together under one entry for each year, subject to the condition that
the date of the earliest item is indicated. This statement should be made
available for inspection by the Director Accounts, Railway board or his
representative, during his periodical inspections of the various Railway
Accounts Office. The Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer should
arrange for a regular review of all records of the objections by an accounts
Officer and for a report of the progress of their clearance being made to him
every month.
C. EXHIBITION OF LOSSES IN GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTS
867. The rules regarding exhibition of losses in
Government Accounts are contained in Appendix-III.
Multiple choice questions:
What is the primary purpose of the internal check exercised
by the Accounts Officer on the financial transactions of the railway?
(A) To review employee performance
(B) To distinguish it from the audit conducted by the Chief
Auditor
(C) To assist in budget planning
(D) To ensure compliance with international standards
Answer: B
Which of the following should the internal check be
conducted with reference to?
(A) Guidelines from the Ministry of Finance
(B) Orders issued by the President, Railway Board, and
General Managers of Railways
(C) Instructions from international accounting standards
(D) Policies from the private sector
Answer: B
What is the minimum requirement for checking transactions
related to receipts or expenditure?
(A) Test check
(B) Sample check
(C) Cent per cent check
(D) Occasional review
Answer: C
Who prescribes the minimum test check over the work of the
clerks in various sections?
(A) General Manager
(B) Chief Auditor
(C) Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer
(D) Railway Board
Answer: C
What should be examined in every rule, order, or sanction
issued by any authority?
(A) Legal compliance
(B) Competency of the authority
(C) Environmental impact
(D) Employee satisfaction
Answer: B
What should be verified in orders conveying sanctions to
expenditure of definite amounts?
(A) Currency conversion rates
(B) Approval from the Ministry of Finance
(C) Amounts expressed both in words and figures
(D) International financial standards
Answer: C
What action should be taken if the Accounts Officer finds
any rule, order, or sanction objectionable?
(A) Modify the sanction and proceed
(B) Report the matter to the Railway Board or take
appropriate action for lower authorities
(C) Ignore the objection and continue
(D) Conduct a public audit
Answer: B
What does the internal check of sanctions to proposals
involve?
(A) Ensuring compliance with international accounting
standards
(B) Verifying the concurrence of the Finance Branch
(C) Conducting employee satisfaction surveys
(D) Reviewing historical expenditure trends
Answer: B
When should sanctions with a long period of currency or of a
permanent nature be reviewed?
(A) Monthly
(B) Annually
(C) Periodically
(D) Biannually
Answer: C
When do sanctions generally take effect?
(A) On the date of the next fiscal year
(B) On the date of issue unless a different date is
specified
(C) On the date of the recipient’s acknowledgment
(D) On the date specified by the Ministry of Finance
Answer: B
What should be scrutinized carefully in all orders of
delegation of financial authority?
(A) They are issued by the Comptroller and Auditor General.
(B) They are made by a competent authority.
(C) They include all international financial regulations.
(D) They are approved by the Ministry of Finance.
Answer: B
Who is responsible for making any re-delegation of financial
powers?
(A) Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer
(B) Chief Auditor
(C) General Manager
(D) Railway Board
Answer: C
What should be seen in scrutinizing receipts?
(A) That they are audited by an external agency.
(B) That amounts are assessed and recovered promptly.
(C) That they conform to international accounting standards.
(D) That they are only recorded electronically.
Answer: B
What is the general rule for checking claims against the railway
before payment is made?
(A) They should be pre-checked by the Accounts Officer.
(B) They should be post-checked after payment is made.
(C) They should be checked by an external auditor.
(D) They should be approved by the Ministry of Finance.
Answer: A
Under which system may the Financial Adviser and Chief
Accounts Officer permit the payment of any class of pay bills before internal
check?
(A) Pre-check system
(B) Post-check system
(C) External audit system
(D) Internal audit system
Answer: B
What should the bills prepared under the post-check system
include?
(A) Only gross amounts
(B) Abstracts in duplicate
(C) Digital signatures
(D) Annual summaries
Answer: B
What should be verified in bills passed through the Accounts
office before payment?
(A) Compliance with international standards
(B) Amounts compared with the previous month's bill
(C) Approval from the Ministry of Finance
(D) Electronic processing
Answer: B
What should be ensured in the scrutiny of expenditure claims
against the railway?
(A) That they are processed by the Ministry of Finance
(B) That they are incurred by an officer competent to incur
them
(C) That they are posted on the railway's website
(D) That they are reviewed quarterly
Answer: B
What should be confirmed for recurring charges payable on
the fulfillment of certain conditions?
(A) That an external audit has been completed
(B) That a certificate is forthcoming from the drawing
officer
(C) That they are listed in the annual budget
(D) That they are recorded electronically
Answer: B
What should be checked to ensure a charge is debitable to
the personal account of a contractor, employee, or other individual?
(A) It is approved by the Ministry of Finance
(B) It is recorded in a prescribed account
(C) It complies with international financial standards
(D) It is audited by an external agency
Answer: B
What is the prescribed language for bills?
a) English or Hindi
b) Only English
c) Only Hindi
d) Any language
Answer: a) English or Hindi
What must be included in the totals on bills?
a) Totals in figures only
b) Totals in words only
c) Totals in both words and figures
d) Totals in any format
Answer: c) Totals in both words and figures
What should be done if alterations are made to the totals in
a bill?
a) Leave them as is
b) Attest the alterations as many times as they are made
c) Only alter totals if necessary
d) Erase and rewrite the totals
Answer: b) Attest the alterations as many times as they are
made
Who must certify that the services for which payment is
claimed have been rendered?
a) The cashier
b) The departmental officer
c) The payee
d) The accountant
Answer: b) The departmental officer
When a bill is for tools or equipment, what must the
departmental officer certify?
a) That the bill is correct
b) That the tools are in good condition
c) That necessary entries have been made in the stock
account
d) That the payment has been made
Answer: c) That necessary entries have been made in the
stock account
What language should acknowledgements of payments be in?
a) Any language
b) Hindi or English
c) Only English
d) Only Hindi
Answer: b) Hindi or English
What should be done if a person other than the payee
receives the payment?
a) Nothing special
b) Make sure the payee signs later
c) Ensure the payment is made under proper authority
d) Cancel the payment
Answer: c) Ensure the payment is made under proper authority
What should be checked regarding the names of payees on the
bills?
a) That they are in alphabetical order
b) That they tally with the signatures obtained in acknowledgement
of the amount paid
c) That they are written in capital letters
d) That they are unique
Answer: b) That they tally with the signatures obtained in
acknowledgement of the amount paid
What is the purpose of the "Paid" stamp on
vouchers?
a) To deface them
b) To decorate them
c) To ensure they are not reused
d) To identify the payee
Answer: c) To ensure they are not reused
What does the Finger Print Examiner verify regarding thumb
impressions on Service Records?
a) Their color
b) Their clarity
c) Their consistency with health certificates
d) Their size
Answer: c) Their consistency with health certificates
Which thumb impressions are checked on the pay sheets of
staff employed in small roadside and flag-stations?
a) Departmental officer's thumb impressions
b) Payee’s thumb impressions
c) Cashier's thumb impressions
d) Examiner’s thumb impressions
Answer: b) Payee’s thumb impressions
What should occasionally be done by the Finger Print
Examiner during surprise checks?
a) Witness payments independently
b) Verify signatures
c) Cancel vouchers
d) Alter totals in bills
Answer: a) Witness payments independently
What should the Accounts Office check in the case of
repayment under Debt and Remittance transactions?
a) The repayment amount is within budget
b) The repayment is made according to the rules,
regulations, or orders governing the transactions
c) The repayment is done in cash only
d) The repayment is made before the due date
Answer: b) The repayment is made according to the rules,
regulations, or orders governing the transactions
What must be verified in the case of deposits held with the
railway?
a) That they are in the form of cash only
b) That such moneys can be held by virtue of general or
special orders of the General Manager or higher authorities
c) That they are held for at least a year
d) That they are used for operational expenses
Answer: b) That such moneys can be held by virtue of general
or special orders of the General Manager or higher authorities
What should be examined regarding refunds of deposits?
a) That the refunds are made in cash
b) That there are proper vouchers in support of the amounts
to be repaid
c) That the refunds are made within a month
d) That the refunds are less than the deposits
Answer: b) That there are proper vouchers in support of the
amounts to be repaid
What is a key aspect of the internal check of Provident
Funds?
a) Ensuring all funds are invested in government bonds
b) Verifying that subscriptions and any other dues
recoverable under the rules are duly and regularly recovered
c) Ensuring all transactions are done in cash
d) Confirming that funds are only used for employee loans
Answer: b) Verifying that subscriptions and any other dues
recoverable under the rules are duly and regularly recovered
In the internal check of pension payments, what is a
critical factor to verify?
a) The pensioner's bank account details
b) The qualifying service and pay drawn during the last ten
months
c) The pensioner's health records
d) The pensioner's residential address
Answer: b) The qualifying service and pay drawn during the
last ten months
What should be ensured in the internal check of Remittance
Transactions?
a) All remittances are made in cash
b) Debits and credits are cleared by receipt of cash or book
adjustment under relevant service or revenue heads
c) Remittances are only made to local banks
d) Debits and credits are cleared within a month
Answer: b) Debits and credits are cleared by receipt of cash
or book adjustment under relevant service or revenue heads
What is a key part of the internal check of Workshop
Accounts?
a) Ensuring all tools are new
b) Examining cost accounts to see they are correctly
compiled
c) Verifying all workers' attendance
d) Checking all machinery is operational
Answer: b) Examining cost accounts to see they are correctly
compiled
What should the internal check of Stores Transactions
ascertain?
a) The stores are always new
b) The stores are delivered within a week
c) The departmental regulations governing purchase, receipt,
issue, custody, condemnation, sale, and stock-taking of stores are properly
carried into effect
d) The stores are purchased from a single supplier
Answer: c) The departmental regulations governing purchase,
receipt, issue, custody, condemnation, sale, and stock-taking of stores are
properly carried into effect
What is an important function of the Accounts Department
regarding stock items?
a) Selling old stock items
b) Ensuring stock items are not retained in excess of
probable requirements
c) Increasing stock items yearly
d) Minimizing the diversity of stock items
Answer: b) Ensuring stock items are not retained in excess
of probable requirements
What should be done regarding discrepancies found during
stock-taking?
a) Ignore them if they are minor
b) Properly investigate and adjust them
c) Adjust them at the end of the year
d) Transfer them to another department
Answer: b) Properly investigate and adjust them
How should the payment for the supply of coal/coke be
arranged?
a) Only after verifying the coal has actually been received
b) On receipt of bills from subsidiaries of Coal India Ltd.,
supported by Wagon Disposal Statements, Despatch Advice notes, and Grade
Authorisation Certificate
c) By cash payment only
d) After receiving approval from the Railway Board
Answer: b) On receipt of bills from subsidiaries of Coal
India Ltd., supported by Wagon Disposal Statements, Despatch Advice notes, and
Grade Authorisation Certificate
What should be done for coal wagons paid for but not linked
as received?
a) Ignore them
b) Prefer claims against the Chief Claims Officer of the
relevant Railway
c) Transfer the cost to a different account
d) Write off the cost
Answer: b) Prefer claims against the Chief Claims Officer of
the relevant Railway
What is the basis for running the Departmental Catering on
Railways?
a) High Profit Margin
b) No Profit No Loss
c) Minimum Loss
d) Maximum Profit
Answer: b) No Profit No Loss
What should the Accounts Check of the Profit and Loss
Account of each catering unit cover?
a) Only the check of receipts
b) Only the check of payments
c) The usual check of receipts and payments as well as the
correct preparation of the proforma Profit and Loss Accounts
d) The stock inventory
Answer: c) The usual check of receipts and payments as well
as the correct preparation of the proforma Profit and Loss Accounts
What should be conducted with reference to the relevant
rules contained in Chapter XVI?
a) External Audit
b) Internal check of sanctions to grants-in-aid
c) Financial Forecasting
d) Budget Preparation
Answer: b) Internal check of sanctions to grants-in-aid
What should the Accounts Officer obtain to ensure the
utilization of grants for the purposes for which they were sanctioned?
a) A certificate of actual utilization of the grants
b) A letter of intent
c) A receipt of deposit
d) An audit report
Answer: a) A certificate of actual utilization of the grants
What should be examined during the inspection of the offices
of the sanctioning authority regarding grants?
a) That all employees are present
b) That certificates regarding unspent balances are obtained
and remitted
c) That all equipment is in working order
d) That the budget is balanced
Answer: b) That certificates regarding unspent balances are
obtained and remitted
What determines the quantum and extent of check during local
inspection of accounts of institutions receiving grants?
a) The Accounts Officer's preference
b) The Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer
c) The institution's head
d) The government regulations
Answer: b) The Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer
What is required for institutions receiving grants of more
than Rs. 1000 at a time?
a) Monthly audit by the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts
Officer
b) Audit of accounts by registered auditors
c) Annual inspection by the Accounts Officer
d) Submission of quarterly financial reports
Answer: b) Audit of accounts by registered auditors
What is an essential function of the Accounts Officer in
terms of expenditure?
a) Approving all expenditures
b) Bringing to light cases of improper expenditure or waste
of public money or stores
c) Ensuring all expenditures are made within a month
d) Authorizing unbudgeted expenses
Answer: b) Bringing to light cases of improper expenditure
or waste of public money or stores
What should internal checks against propriety support?
a) High profit margins
b) Standards of public financial morality and sound
financial administration
c) Minimization of staff
d) Maximization of expenditures
Answer: b) Standards of public financial morality and sound
financial administration
What should the Accounts Officer apply in the performance of
their duties according to the general principles laid down in paragraph 116 of
the Financial Code?
a) Specific financial regulations
b) General principles of financial propriety
c) Departmental guidelines
d) Personal discretion
Answer: b) General principles of financial propriety
What should be examined in the departmental manuals that
introduce new detailed financial accounting or internal check procedures?
a) Whether they are cost-effective
b) Whether they are intra vires of the authority issuing the
manual and in accordance with correct principles
c) Whether they increase efficiency
d) Whether they reduce paperwork
Answer: b) Whether they are intra vires of the authority
issuing the manual and in accordance with correct principles
What should be done with initial records not submitted to
the Accounts Office?
a) Discarded after one year
b) Inspected locally to the extent prescribed by the
Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer
c) Filed for future reference
d) Sent to a higher authority for review
Answer: b) Inspected locally to the extent prescribed by the
Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer
When can a claim be disallowed by the Accounts Officer?
a) When the officer has not submitted any explanation.
b) When there is prima facie evidence that it is incorrect
and might result in loss to the Railway.
c) When the claim is submitted late.
d) When the claim exceeds the budget.
Answer: b) When there is prima facie evidence that it is
incorrect and might result in loss to the Railway.
What should be done with payments made before scrutiny if
found to be irregular in internal check?
a) They should be approved.
b) They should be placed under objection.
c) They should be ignored.
d) They should be sent for re-evaluation.
Answer: b) They should be placed under objection.
What should be done in case of gross or repeated
carelessness in the preparation of bills by Departmental Officers?
a) Ignored if the amount is small.
b) Brought to the notice of the head of the office
concerned, and if necessary, to the head of the Department or of the Railway.
c) Rejected immediately.
d) Returned without processing.
Answer: b) Brought to the notice of the head of the office
concerned, and if necessary, to the head of the Department or of the Railway.
Under what condition can the Financial Adviser and Chief
Accounts Officer waive objections for irregular expenditure not exceeding Rs.
100/-?
a) When the expenditure is for an emergency.
b) When the expenditure will be sanctioned by the competent
authority if formally referred to it.
c) When the amount involved is significant.
d) When the expenditure is recurring.
Answer: b) When the expenditure will be sanctioned by the
competent authority if formally referred to it.
What is the limit for the Financial Adviser and Chief
Accounts Officer to admit justifiable expenditure that is not covered by
sufficient sanction?
a) Rs. 50/-
b) Rs. 100/-
c) Rs. 500/-
d) Rs. 1000/-
Answer: c) Rs. 500/-
What should be done if an expenditure is not covered by
sufficient proof but the Accounts Officer sees no reason to doubt that the
charge has been paid?
a) The expenditure should be rejected.
b) The expenditure should be admitted up to a limit of Rs.
500/-.
c) The proof should be requested again.
d) The bill should be returned unpassed.
Answer: b) The expenditure should be admitted up to a limit
of Rs. 500/-.
What amount can be waived by the Financial Adviser and Chief
Accounts Officer for recovery of irrecoverable payments?
a) Rs. 50/-
b) Rs. 100/-
c) Rs. 200/-
d) Rs. 500/-
Answer: c) Rs. 200/-
Which officer has the authority to waive recovery of
undercharge up to Rs. 5 in individual items of goods earnings?
a) Any Accounts Officer
b) The Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer
c) The General Manager
d) The Drawing Officer
Answer: a) Any Accounts Officer
What should be maintained of all recoveries foregone by the
Accounts Officer under the powers given in the context?
a) A ledger of expenses
b) A register in Form A. 847
c) A financial statement
d) An audit report
Answer: b) A register in Form A. 847
What is the procedure if erroneous payments have been passed
due to wrong interpretation of financial rules?
a) Correct interpretation should be given effect from the
date specified by the competent authority.
b) The incorrect payments should be ignored.
c) The payments should be recovered immediately.
d) The wrong interpretation should be followed indefinitely.
Answer: a) Correct interpretation should be given effect
from the date specified by the competent authority.
How should disallowances from establishment bills be communicated
to the officer who submitted the bills?
a) Through verbal communication.
b) Through Disallowance Lists in form A. 850.
c) Through a financial report.
d) Through an email notification.
Answer: b) Through Disallowance Lists in form A. 850.
What should be done with items still unadjusted or held as
objectionable after monthly accounts are closed?
a) They should be ignored.
b) They should be transferred to the Objection Book (A.
854).
c) They should be written off.
d) They should be sent to the Audit department.
Answer: b) They should be transferred to the Objection Book
(A. 854).
What are the classifications of objections for posting in
the Objection Book?
a) Want of sanctioned estimate, want of receipts, excess over
budget.
b) Want of sanctioned estimate, excess over sanctioned
estimate, want of sanctioned appropriation, excess over sanctioned
appropriation, miscellaneous.
c) Excess over budget, want of sanctioned estimate,
irregular personal claims.
d) Want of sanctioned estimate, want of receipts,
miscellaneous.
Answer: b) Want of sanctioned estimate, excess over
sanctioned estimate, want of sanctioned appropriation, excess over sanctioned
appropriation, miscellaneous.
How should objections be recorded in the Objection Book?
a) Alphabetically by officer name.
b) By date of expenditure.
c) Under appropriate classes and by class of expenditure.
d) Randomly as they are received.
Answer: c) Under appropriate classes and by class of
expenditure.
How can an objection be cleared according to the rules?
a) By ignoring the objection.
b) By recovering the expenditure or by withdrawing the
objection.
c) By discussing it in a meeting.
d) By filing a report.
Answer: b) By recovering the expenditure or by withdrawing
the objection.
What should be done if an objection raised by Audit is not
accepted by the Accounts Officer as valid?
a) It should be ignored.
b) It should be removed from the Objection Book.
c) It should still be recorded in the Objection Book until
it is withdrawn by Audit.
d) It should be escalated to higher authorities.
Answer: c) It should still be recorded in the Objection Book
until it is withdrawn by Audit.
What is the purpose of the Subsidiary Objection Book?
a) To record all major objections.
b) To record petty objections like "want of detailed
vouchers" and "payee's receipts."
c) To record objections from external audits only.
d) To record objections related to personal claims only.
Answer: b) To record petty objections like "want of
detailed vouchers" and "payee's receipts."
By when should the Objection Books be closed every month?
a) By the 10th.
b) By the 15th.
c) By the 20th.
d) By the 25th.
Answer: b) By the 15th.
What should be done with items of expenditure authorized by
the General Manager that require higher authority sanction?
a) Recorded in a separate folio of the objection book.
b) Ignored until higher authority contacts.
c) Immediately approved without further checks.
d) Sent back to the General Manager.
Answer: a) Recorded in a separate folio of the objection
book.
What additional record should every Accounts Officer
maintain apart from the Objection Book?
a) A ledger of expenditures.
b) A record of serious irregularities.
c) A register of petty cash.
d) A list of all employees.
Answer: b) A record of serious irregularities.
What should be done in case of serious irregularities that
the Accounts Officer finds insufficiently addressed?
a) Ignore them.
b) Report them to the Railway Board.
c) Note them without action.
d) Reassign them to another officer.
Answer: b) Report them to the Railway Board.
When should the half-yearly statement of objectionable items
be prepared?
a) By the 20th June and 20th December.
b) By the 15th July and 15th January.
c) By the 25th June and 25th December.
d) By the 30th June and 30th December.
Answer: a) By the 20th June and 20th December.
How should the clearance of objections relating to receipts
be managed?
a) By ignoring small amounts.
b) In the same way as objections relating to expenditure.
c) By reporting them directly to the General Manager.
d) By maintaining a separate register only for receipts
objections.
Answer: b) In the same way as objections relating to
expenditure.
What should be done with objections outstanding for more
than twelve months?
a) They should be written off.
b) They should be separately watched through a special
register.
c) They should be ignored if below Rs. 250/-.
d) They should be reported to the General Manager.
Answer: b) They should be separately watched through a
special register.
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