NEW DELHI: The government eased rules for procurement and spending to help a clutch of key departments and ministries engaged in the fight against the dreaded Covid-19 virus outbreak.
The department of expenditure unveiled fresh guidelines and eased procurement rules, making it clear that procurement may be undertaken from more than one source if the entire quantity required is not available or is not immediately available from one source. It said such procurement may, if unavoidable, be at different rates.
Guidelines said procurement may be undertaken through Indian missions overseas and prices shall be fixed by the mission in consultation with the ministry or department. It said rates for logistics shall be fixed by logistics committee that has been set up by the government.
The expenditure department said the prevailing health emergency requires immediate procurement of items in quantities that may not be available with a single seller or within the time frame that they are needed.
The department also relaxed spending guidelines in case of absence of sufficient budgetary allocation in the relevant budget provisions. It said in case a department or ministry has sufficient funds as per revised expenditure of 2019-20, they shall utilise the savings for expenditure arising out relief operations for Covid-19. This for expenditure on or before March 31, 2020.
Post-facto approval can be received from the expenditure department for such expenditure by April 15.
The department of expenditure unveiled fresh guidelines and eased procurement rules, making it clear that procurement may be undertaken from more than one source if the entire quantity required is not available or is not immediately available from one source. It said such procurement may, if unavoidable, be at different rates.
Guidelines said procurement may be undertaken through Indian missions overseas and prices shall be fixed by the mission in consultation with the ministry or department. It said rates for logistics shall be fixed by logistics committee that has been set up by the government.
The expenditure department said the prevailing health emergency requires immediate procurement of items in quantities that may not be available with a single seller or within the time frame that they are needed.
The department also relaxed spending guidelines in case of absence of sufficient budgetary allocation in the relevant budget provisions. It said in case a department or ministry has sufficient funds as per revised expenditure of 2019-20, they shall utilise the savings for expenditure arising out relief operations for Covid-19. This for expenditure on or before March 31, 2020.
Post-facto approval can be received from the expenditure department for such expenditure by April 15.
