In flood-hit JK, GP fund liability mounts to Rs 350 cr

The Jammu and Kashmir government is facing Rs 350 crore liability on account of GP fund bills pending at various treasuries in the state.
Sources said the state government for the past three months has not been able to release GP fund to the claimants and with each passing day the number of claims is increasing.
“My GP fund bill is gathering dust at Sadder treasury.  Every day I am being informed by the officials that no MT (money transfer – an instrument representing the amount released by the government to the treasury) has been released by the government,” Javid Ahmad, a government employee, said.
He said: “GP fund is the amount an employee contributes with a view that he/she can use it at the hour of need. But it is sad that we are being made to suffer even to get our own money when we need it most particularly after floods.”
“My GP Fund bill amounting to Rs 1,20,000 lies for past few weeks in Sadder treasury. Every time the treasury people come up with different excuses, like they don’t have money available at the moment or they have to release the salary first,” an employee who need money to repair his house damaged by floods, said.
It is not only the employees seeking to withdraw their GP fund who are suffering; the position of the contractors is no better. “I have to pay a huge sum of money both to the suppliers and to my workers, who are pressing hard for the money. But I am not able to pay to them because my bills are pending for want of payment treasury Tankipora,” Farooq Ahmad, a contractor, said.
“I have raised huge loan from the bank which entails high rate of interest. Since my bills are pending it is very difficult for me to deposit the installment with the bank,” he said, adding that post-floods “our position has become vulnerable due to losses incurred by us.”
A senior official of Accounts and Treasuries wishing not to be named told Greater Kashmir that post-floods GP funds bills are piling up. “In last week we managed to release Rs 50 crore on account of GP fund. But overall we are facing financial constraints and the state government is not in position to pay off the bills. So far the state is facing a liability of Rs 350 crore on account of provident fund of employees only.”
The official blamed the floods. “Due to floods state government had to divert funds to relief and rehabilitation measures. Also the revenue which state generated from its own sources has dwindled. As a result of which the state coffers are empty,” he said.