THE NEW ELECTRONICS BILL (e- BILL)

THE NEW ELECTRONICS BILL (e- BILL)

TOPIC: Polity

Context- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the new mechanism while inaugurating the Foundation Day event of the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), the book-keeper of the government.

Concept-

About the electronics bill Processing System:

• This e-governance initiative was announced in the Budget 2022-23 by the Finance Minister.
• Across all departments and central ministries, the e- Bill system will be implemented.
• Implementing this system will help in enhancing efficiency, transparency, and a paperless- faceless payment system.
• Through this system contractors and suppliers will be able to submit their claim online and it will be trackable on a real-time basis.

About Electronic Billing:

• Electronic billing also known as e-Billing is a way of paying and sending bills electronically rather than through the use of paper.
• Customers can get bills online, via email, or in machine-readable data forms when billed electronically.

About Controller General of Accounts:

• CGA works under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India.
• Though it itself is not a constitutional body, it derives its mandate from Article 150 of the constitution which says: The accounts of the Union and of the States shall be kept in such form as the President may, on the advice of the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, prescribe.
• Its statutory mandate {duties and functions} have been defined in the Allocation of Business Rules, 1961, which include:
  • defining general principles of government accounting (both state and union) and framing rules, manuals, forms etc.
  • Reconciliation of Cash Balance of Union with RBI
  • Overseeing of accounting functions.
  • Administration of Central Treasury Rules
  • Disbursement of payments of Central Civil Pensioners; Freedom Fighters; High Court Judges; Ex MPs and Ex Presidents via Public Sector Banks.