Implementation of Online GPF Info System in dark
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, October 30 2014 : Even as Accountant General (A&E), State Government had launched the Online General Provident Fund (GPF) Information System under which GPF statement of regular employees with exception of Grade IV employees could be generated from its website; due to the alleged negligence of bureaucrats, it is still not known from when the system will be implemented.

On September 1 last, Senior Deputy Accountant General (A&E) issued a notification no EDP (A&E)/TRY-COM/2013-14 informing launch of the GPF System along with its website www.agmpr.cag.gov.ingpfonline from where annual GPF statements for the year 2013-14 of all regular employees except that of Grade IV employees could be downloaded.

However, Principal Secretary (Finance), Barun Mitra on October 21 issued an office memorandum invalidating the system.

According to the office memorandum, evitable problems would crop up if the system is implemented in hasty manner.

It had informed concerned Heads of different government departments that only Pre-Printed issued by AG Office and authenticated GPF Statement 2012-13 will be used for processing withdrawal of GPF of government employees.

Sources said AG had submitted a written statement to the government on October 1, 2013 seeking views on the online GPS system.

Again on October 25, it submitted a written statement to Chief Secretary informing that the system will be launched soon to allow government employees to process its GPF statement through e-mode.

In the statement, it sought views and corrective measures from the government prior to the launch of the system.

Since there was no response from the government side despite repeated submission of written statements, the Account General as a reminder submitted another written statement to Chief Secretary on January 6, 2014 asking whether hard copy of GPF statement of government employees will be handed over to them or not.

This time also, no response was given by the government.

The AG Office then submitted a statement to Additional Chief Secretary on July 18 last informing about the launch of the online GPF system and detailed information of uses of the system by government employees including process of verification which will be done by the concerned authorities.

Given the unwarranted development, more than 31, 000 government employees are in puzzle as the Treasury Department had already invalidated the system.

Meanwhile, a meeting was convened yesterday evening with Principal Secretary (Finance), Barun Mitra in the chair to implement the system at the earliest.

The meeting was attended by Th Kiran Singh, Director of Treasuries & Accounts; Ng Ruth, Senior Deputy Accountant General; M Gunindro Singh, Senior Account Officer of AG and N Budhichandra Singh, Assistant Account Officer of AG.

During the meeting which has been seen an important development, it was observed that government employees may withdraw their GPF amounts excessively and there is a possibility of withdrawing GPF amounts fraudulently.

Representatives of AG lamented that records of GPF amounts withdrawn by employees from the account statements of AG cannot be computerized as of now.

They requested the government to include a part in the online GPF information system to entry the exact amount generated by employees.

Following requests from the Finance Department and officials of Treasury, AG Office has taken up necessary measures to allow verification of GPF amounts of employees and update of GPF debit details under the online system.

A written statement was submitted to State Information Officer, National Informative Officer Manipur State Centre to upgrade the online GPF information system to entrust Treasury Department with work of data entry of GPF amounts fetched by employees.

Upgradation of the information system would take around two months.

In between, employees would face problems in withdrawing their GPF amounts in time.

Given the grim situation on implementation of the information situation, several employees have expressed disappointment over failure of Finance Department to clarify on validation and authentication of the system.

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