The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has spent about 86 percent of the budget (2012-2013) allocated for TA/DA of the tax officials, as Rs 8.3 million has already been consumed in the first five months (July-November) of 2012-13 against budgeted Rs 9.6 million for the whole fiscal year.
Sources told Business Recorder on Thursday that the FBR had expressed serious concerns over the mismanagement in spending of the budget for TA/DA. The spending of huge amount of Rs 8.3 million in just five months also seems not to be in line with the government's austerity measures/ plan.
This also reflects that frequent travel of the tax officials remains unchecked keeping in view the actual budget allocated for 2012-13. According to FBR, the utilisation of the funds under TA/DA head is about 86 percent leaving about 14 percent for the remaining seven months of the financial year.
It said that this high expenditure on TA/DA was due to an upward revision in rates of TA/DA, transfer grant, frequent visits of the officers/officials of FBR (HQ) and relatively higher number of transfers/postings from FBR (HQ) to field offices and vice versa. Furthermore, the Finance Division had imposed 20 percent cut on the allocation and re-appropriation of funds, which has also been banned under the head TA/DA. In view of the acute shortage of funds, the following measures have been approved by the Chairman, FBR/Secretary, Revenue Division, to control the expenditure under the head TA/DA:
All members/officers of FBR (HQ) shall exercise due diligence and control while undertaking visits involving TA/DA; the FBR Management Wing will keep cost cement in view while undertaking postings and transfers of officers to and from FBR (HQ) and the officers/officials (BS-1 to 21) will undertake mandatory visits only with the prior approval of the Chairman, FBR/Secretary, Revenue Division.
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