Capt146;s word fails to fetch docs146; pay

Punjab government tied itself further into knots over the vexed NPA issue with district treasuries refusing to obey directions issued with t...

Punjab government tied itself further into knots over the vexed NPA issue with district treasuries refusing to obey directions issued with the 8216;8216;concurrence8217;8217; of CM Capt Amarinder Singh to pay doctors salaries without any NPA cut. A recalcitrant Finance Department compounded the confusion by refusing to pass the order to the Treasuries, till as late as yesterday. Consequently, PCMS doctors have not got their salaries for August.

Following the decision of high-level Experts Committee on August 27 to keep in abeyance for two months the orders withdrawing NPA, Health and Family Welfare Principal Secretary D.S. Jaspal issued directions on August 29 under 8216;Order of Governor of Punjab.8217; Jaspal8217;s directions read: 8216;8216;The orders of Finance Department8230;are hereby held in abeyance till a comprehensive and financial restructuring plan is ready to meet the objective. This is issued with the concurrence of the CM, Punjab8230; the pay bills for the current month may be prepared without deducting NPA. A copy is forwarded to the Principal Secretary8230;8217;8217;

However, when these orders along with salary bills of the doctors were sent to the district and sub-division treasuries, the treasury mandarins objected to the Health and Family Welfare Department orders saying these were invalid, that they had never seen such orders, and that only directions of Finance Department could reverse the July 22 orders that had withdrawn NPA from doctors8217; salaries. On its part, the Finance Department also sat tight and did not feel it necessary to issue directions till pressure was exerted from highest quarters of the government to remove the obstacles to payment of salaries.

Says Dr M.S. Randhawa, patron of a faction of the PCMS Association: 8216;8216;We urge the CM to resolve the inter-department tussle which is bringing a bad name to the government.8217;8217;

When contacted, Jaspal put down the confusion to a 8216;8216;communication gap8217;8217;. He said 8216;8216;the Finance Department8217;s orders have been finally issued. The treasury people said without the orders of the FD, the salaries could not be disbursed.8217;8217; Asked if that meant his orders were flawed and that the CM8217;s concurrence did not carry weight with the treasuries, Jaspal said: 8216;8216;That is their view. I guess they follow their own hierarchy.8217;8217;

Both Lakhanpal and Director, Treasuries and Accounts, Dr G. Vajralingam, were not available for comment.