Kolkata: The state govt has doubled the financial approval powers of administrative departments, raising the sanction ceiling for key infrastructure-related departments from Rs 3 crore to Rs 6 crore to speed up the execution of govt schemes and development projects.Under an order issued by the finance department on Wednesday, the revised limit applies to the PWD, irrigation & waterways, public health engineering, urban development & municipal affairs, health & family welfare, and panchayat & rural development departments.The North Bengal development, Paschimanchal Unnayan affairs and Sundarban affairs departments have also been given greater financial powers, with their approval ceiling raised from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 3 crore. For all other administrative departments, the limit has been doubled from Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1.5 crore.The revision is expected to reduce procedural delays and enable quicker decisions at the departmental level, particularly on public infrastructure and development projects, a senior official said.Delegated financial powers allow departments to approve expenditure and sanction projects within specified limits without referring each proposal to the finance department for separate clearance. The move is expected to give departments greater operational flexibility in implementing development works.The revised powers, however, come with safeguards. Departments must obtain the concurrence of their respective financial advisers before granting fresh or revised Administrative Approval and Financial Sanction (AAFS).They must also ensure adequate budgetary provision and account for committed liabilities arising from projects and works already under way before granting fresh sanctions, the order said.
