CGA, ICAS, PFMS, GFR
NageswaraRao 9492432160
What is the need of knowing about CGA, PFMS, ICAS etc, being a Railway employee ?
Answer:
The blogger is of the opinion, the practices and software of Indian Railways is going to be in common with the Union Government of India after merger of Railway Budget with Union Budget from 2017-18 onwards,
GFR General Financial Rules has become relevant to Indian Railways.
Also GeM, HRMS, E office, the universal applications all over the Government of India has common with Indian Railways.
Many common digital platforms are going to be applicable to Indian Railways in the coming days.
CGA - Controller General of Accounts
Present CGA (as on 12th December, 2022) - Ms Bharati Das, ICAS
The Principal advisor to the Union Government (on Accounting matters)
Responsible for preparation and submission of Accounts of Union Government
Responsible for Exchequer control and Internal Audits
Belongs to ICAS - Indian Civil Accounts Service
ICAS - Indian Civil Accounts Service:
Carved out from the IA & AS - Indian Audit & Accounts Service in 1976
W.e.f 01.03.1976
Celebrating March 1st as the “Civil Accounts Day”
Relieving the responsibility of preparation of Union Government Accounts from C&AG.
Under the Department of Expenditure in the Ministry of Finance
NIFM - National Institute of Financial Management, Faridabad and INGAF - INstitute of Government Accounts & Finance - Training Centres for ICAS Officers
Key Takeaways - For MCQ
CGA stands for Controller General of Accounts
C & AG stands for Comptroller & Auditor General
CGA is the Principal Advisor to the Government of India on accounting matters
ICAS stands for Indian Civil Accounts Service
IA & AS stands for Indian Audit & Accounts Service
Civil Accounts Day - Celebrated every year on 1st March
1976 - Relieving the responsibility of preparation of Accounts of Union Government from C&AG
ICAS - under the control of Department of Expenditure in Ministry of Finance
NIFM is located at Faridabad
NIFM stands for National Institute of Financial Management
INGAF stands for INdian Government Accounts & Finance
INGAF is located at Chennai
ICAS has been carved out from the IA&AS in 1976
PFMS - Public Finance Management System
A web based online software application
Developed and implemented by CGA - Controller General of Accounts, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India
Started in 2019
Object: Tracking funds released under all Plan schemes of Government of India & real time reporting of expenditure.
Covers all payments, Exchequer control, all receipts, compilation of accounts, preparation of Fiscal Reports
Interface with the treasury system of all the 28 States and 2 UTs with legislatures.
Integrated with the core banking system of over 300 Banks in the country.
Interface with the NPCI - National Payments Corporation of India
Key Takeaways - For MCQ
PFMS stands for Public Finance Management System
Launched in 2019
Developed and maintained by CGA, Department of Expenditure
CGA stands for Controller General of Accounts
CGA is a Principal Accounting Officer to the Government of India. (Apex accounting authority in Government of India)
Old name of PFMS is CPSMS - Central Plan Scheme Monitoring System.
NPCI stands for National Payments Corporation of India
GFR - General Financial Rules, 2017
Click for GFR 2017 with amendments up to 31.07.2022
Railway Board vide its letter No.2017/ F(X)II/PW/R dated 09.02.2018 advised all concerned to refer to the rules under the GFR- General Financial Rules, 2017 and used them as broad principles while making financial decisions.
Indian Railways being part of Govt of India, it is incumbent on Indian Railways to refer GFR in discharging financial powers.
Although, historically processes have evolved on Indian Railways considering operational requirement of field, however, with merger of Railway Budget with General Budget, any substantive deviation from GFR has become part of reporting through the monthly PCDO by respective PFAs to Member Finance /Indian Railways in order to reporting to Ministry of Finance.
Issued by the Ministry of Finance, Dept of Expenditure.
Consists of 208 pages and 12 Chapters.
First GFR in 1947. Then Revised in 1963 and 2005.
What is the Need of Revised GFR in 2017 ?
1. Removal of distinction in non-plan and plan expenditure.
2. Merger of Railway Budget with General Budget in 2017-18.
3. Focusing on outcomes through an improved Outcome Budget document.
4. Reliance on DBT - Direct Benefit Transfer scheme to ensure efficient delivery of entitlements.
5. Introduction of new e-sites like Central Public Procurement Portal, GeM Government e-Marketing portal, Non-Tax Revenue portal.
6. Increased focus on the Public Finance Management System(PFMS).
Key Takeaways - For MCQ
1. First GFR – 1947
2. Latest GFR – 2017
3. GFR stands for General Financial Rules
4. PFMS stands for Public Finance Management System.
5. Any substantive deviation -
At Zonal Level - Brought to the notice of Member Finance by PFA.
At Board level – Brought to the notice of the Ministry of Finance by Member Finance.
6. DBT stands for Direct Benefit Transfer
7. Removal of distinction in non-plan and plan expenditure
8. Total Number of Chapters in GFR = 12 (total pages 208)
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