Civil Accounts Day is annually observed by the Indian Civil Accounts Service(ICAS)on 1st March since the inception of ICAS on 1st March 1976. ICAS is one of the Civil Services of India, under the Department of Expenditure, Union Ministry of Finance.
- 1st March 2021 marks the 45th Civil Accounts Day. For the first time the events of Civil Accounts Day have been organised as a virtual event in New Delhi.
Chief Guest: Union Minister of finance Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the inaugural session of the 45th Civil Accounts Day in New Delhi.
Other Key People:
G.C. Murmu, Comptroller and Auditor General; Dr T. V. Somanathan, Expenditure Secretary; Soma Roy Burman, Controller General of Accounts participated in the virtual event.
Functions of ICAS:
ICAS leads the reforms in Public Financial Management using the digital technology including the development and management of Public Financial Management System (PFMS), the unified and single IT platform which enables the payments and accounting functions related to the Union Government.
ICAS and COVID-19 pandemic:
i.Indian Civil Accounts Organisation played a major role in ensuring electronic flow of claims and bills and keeping the public expenditure going amid the pandemic.
ii.Implemented the Treasury Single Accounts System (TSA) in 15 Autonomous Bodies in the 1st phase and to extend this to another 40 Autonomous Bodies by the coming Independence Day.
iii.TSA is a great systematic reform ensuring value for money which will reduce the borrowing of the government.
iv.PFMS has facilitated electronic transactions in Government of India and PM-Kisan scheme was successfully implemented through PFMS.
v.During the first lockdown in March 2020, around 4.16 crore transactions were carried out on 30th and 31st March 2020.
vi.The cash transfer of Rs.30000 crores to around 21 crore women Jan Dhan Account beneficiaries under Prime Minister Kissan Samman Nidhi.
Digital payments:
i.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman specified the 3 points road map for the organisation,
- Paperless and transparent governance
- Keeping pace with technological advancements
- Continuity of seamless digital payments with user friendly interfaces
ii.She also stated that the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) should adapt and keep pace with the developing technology to keep the government accounts transparent.
iii.She also suggested CGA to adapt paperless and user friendly functioning and to aim for the integration with the Department of Expenditure and States.
Background of ICAS:
i.The Audit and Accounts Functions were separated by relieving the Comptroller and Auditor General from his responsibilities of preparing the Union Government accounts.
ii.The Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS) was established by carving it out from the Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IA & AS) through the promulgation of an Ordinance amending the C & AG’s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Amendment Act, 1976.
iii.Departmentalisation of Union Accounts (Transfer of Personnel) Act, 1976 was enacted by Parliament and assented to by Hon’ble President of India on 8th April, 1976 which came into force on 1st March 1976.
About Ministry of Finance:
Union Minister- Nirmala Sitharaman
Minister of State- Anurag Singh Thakur
Controller General of Accounts (CGA)- Soma Roy Burman
Office of CGA– New Delhi
