Inspection of Administrative and Operative Offices: Deptt of Posts OM regarding change due to COVID-19 Outbreak

Inspection of Administrative and Operative Offices: Deptt of Posts OM regarding change in percentage fixed in the approved Annual Inspection Programme for the year 2020, will undergo a change as explained in para 5 below due to COVID-19 Outbreak.

File No.10-01/2020-Inspn
Government of India
Ministry of Communications
Department of Posts
(Inspection Division)
*****

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,
New Delhi, dated: 26.05.2020

Office Memorandum

Subject: Inspections of Administrative and Operative Offices.

In accordance with the directions of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), guidelines on lockdown measures to contain the spread of COVID•19 in all parts of the country were issued vide Ministry of Home Affairs Order no. 40-3/2020•DM-I (A) dated 24.03.2020 under the Disaster Management Act 2005 for a period of 21 days with effect from 25.03.2020. Under further directions of the NDMA, the lockdown period was extended up to 03.05.2020 vide Ministry of Home Affairs Order no. 40-3/2020-DM• I W dated 14.04.2020 and consolidated revised guidelines were issued vide Ministry of Home Affairs Order no. 40•3/2020-DM-I W dated 15.04.2020. Under further directions of NDMA, the lockdown period was extended with new guidelines for a further period of two weeks with effect from 04.05.2020 vide Ministry of Home Affairs Order no. 40- 3/2020-DM-I (A) dated 01.05.2020

2. Now, under further directions of NDMA, the lockdown period has been extended with new guidelines for a further period up to 31.05.2020 from 18.05.2020 vide Ministry of Home Affairs Order no. 40-3/2020•DM-I (A) dated 17.05.2020.

3. With reference to Directorate letter no. 15-1188-Inspn dated 29.08.1988, inspections for both Administrative & Operative Offices are to be carried out within the earmarked quarters in a calendar year as per percentage fixed i.e. 15%, 35%, 30% and 20% in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th quarters respecively.

4. Now, therefore, taking into consideration the outbreak of COVID-19 across the country, it has been decided by the competent authority that the inspections to be carried out within the earmarked quarters as per percentage fixed for Administrative and Operative Offices in the approved Annual Inspection Programme for the year 2020, will undergo a change as explained in para 5 below.

5. As 35% of offices are to be inspected during the months from April 2020 to June 2020, which has perhaps not been carried out due to Covid-19 outbreak and consequent lockdown declared throughout the country, the following guidelines are to be followed:

(i) As per extant guidelines, annual inspection should be carried out within one year from the date of last inspection. In view of the prevailing unprecedented situation, the said timeline is extended to 15 months from the date of last inspection. This is allowed strictly as a one•time measure in respect of the inspections originally scheduled to be carried out from March 2020 to December 2020 only.

(ii) 10% of the total inspections out of 35% scheduled during the 2nd Quarter of 2020 shall be carried out during the said quarter, which leaves a balance of 25% of inspections to be carried out in the 3rd Quarter.

(iii) Remaining balance of 25% of the total inspections of 2020 originally scheduled during the 2nd Quarter as mentioned in para 2 above and 10% out of 30% of the total inspections of 2020 originally scheduled during the 3rd Quarter shall be carried out during the 3rd Quarter. The revised inspection programme shall be prepared in such a manner that 35% of the total inspections of 2020 are carried out during the three months of the 3rd Quarter in the above manner.

(iv) Similarly, the balance of 20% of the total inspections of 2020 already scheduled during the 3rd Quarter and 10% of the total inspections of 2020 scheduled during the 4th quarter shall be carried out during the 4th Quarter. In other words, 30% of the total inspections of 2020 shall be carried out during the three months of the 4th Quarter in the above manner. This leaves a balance of 10% of inspections originally scheduled for 4th Quarter of 2020.

(v) Remaining 10% of the total inspections of 2020 already scheduled during the IVth Quarter shall be carried forward to the first Quarter of 2021.

(vi) Inspection programme at all levels shall be revised and submitted for approval of the competent authority on or before 31.05.2020.

(vii) Time limit for submission of Inspection Reports shall continue as per the extant instructions.

(viii) Staggering of inspections shall be applicable to inspection programmes of all inspecting authorities of the Sub Division/Division/RO/CO (i.e. Sub Divisional Heads, Divisional heads, DPS, PMG, CPMG).

(ix) Orders for change in the inspection programme of 2020 of Members PSB and Addl. DG (Coord.) will be issued separately.

For convenience of understanding, the following is illustrated and tabulated:

Note: (i) Half yearly verification of balances of GPOs/ Head Post Offices however will undergo no change in schedule and will be carried out as per the guidelines on the subject.

(ii) From 2022 onwards, the percentage of distribution of inspections will be as per column (c) above.

(iii) The inspections if any, that could not be carried out in March 2020 due to lockdown from 25.03.2020 may be completed in the quarter ending June-2020.

2. In respect of Post Offices (inspection of which are carried over to the next quarter), the Inspecting Officers shall scrutinize the financial transactions of the Post Offices from the data available in SAP. Any abnormal variations in cash flow/ transactions and cash management may be examined thoroughly, documented and brought to the notice of the competent authority. Shortcomings, if any, found may be followed up immediately.

Modified timeline with respect to the number of days of inspection to be followed in respect of the following Offices is given below for strict adherence:

Note: (i) The inspecting officer shall inspect the office with all the basic data regarding transactions and balances extracted from SAP before commencing the inspection.

(ii). However for non-CSI offices, the prescribed number of days for inspections will continue to be as per the existing instructions i.e. column (b) above.

2.  Notwithstanding the above guidelines, inspections of bad / fraud prone offices shall be carried out by the inspecting officers strictly within the stipulated timelines.

3.  CPMG, PMG, DPS, Divisional & Sub Divisional Heads may continue with the visits to the field offices (Postal & RMS) as per existing guidelines.

This issues with the approval of the competent authority.

AD (Inspection)

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