The Headmasters of the aided schools will be designated as the authority for the drawal and disbursement of salary of approved staff of the respective school. The prevailing system of countersigning the salary bills by the Educational Officers concerned shall be dispensed with. The Headmasters of each school shall use only "SPARK" database for preparation of salary bills. This will come into effect as and when each school becomes SPARK enabled.
1. Based on the above, the following guidelines are issued for strict compliance of all concerned.
(i) The Headmasters of all aided Primary and High Schools are authorised to draw and disburse salary of all approved staff members without countersignature,provided the bills are prepared based on entitlement authorised by the competent authority in the office of the DEO/AEO and salary bills are generated through SPARK system.
(ii) The bills on surrender leave salary as envisaged in Kerala Education Rules can also be drawn and disbursed without countersignature provided the bill is generated through SPARK based on entitlement authorised as above.
(iii) The Headmasters shell prepare the bills in quadruplicate (4 copies) and submit two copies to the Treasury for encashment. The third copy shall be kept in the school for audit purpose. The fourth copy of the bill along with a copy of its aquittance roll shall be ubmitted to the AEO/DEO concerned within a week after drawal and disbursement of salary. The AEO/DEO shall arrange scrutiny of the bill to ensure that the bills are drawn strictly according to the entitlement authorised from that office.
(iv) T.A. bills, Medical Reimbursement bills, Maintenance Grant bills, etc can be drawn only with countersignature of the departmental authority concerned after obtaining the required allotment.
(v) Bill for approved teachers working on daily wage basis shall be drawn only after getting the countersignature of the departmental authority concerned.
(vi) The Director of Public Instruction shall arrange to conduct audit of these bills at least once in a year.
(vi) The Director of Public Instruction shall arrange to conduct audit of these bills at least once in a year.
(vii) Any bill which cannot be generated through SPARK will be honoured in treasuries only with the countersignature of departmental authority.
2. All Treasury officers are hereby directed to honour the salary bills of employees of aided schools complying with the above instructions without countersignature. However, before passing the bill for payment, the genuineness of the bill presented in treasuries shall be verified with reference to the SPARK code printed on the bills.
3. Formal amendments in Kerala Treasury Code to facilitate the payment of bills without countersignature will be issued separately.
4. The new system will come into force commencing from disbursement of salaries for the month of April 2013.
3. Formal amendments in Kerala Treasury Code to facilitate the payment of bills without countersignature will be issued separately.
4. The new system will come into force commencing from disbursement of salaries for the month of April 2013.
Government have extended the time limit fixed for the updation and locking of details in SPARK.