Hon’ble Prime Minister has emphasized the need for improved financial management in implementation of Central Plan Schemes so as to facilitate Just-in-Time Releases and monitor the usage of funds including information on its ultimate utilization.

The Department of Expenditure is administering the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), which is an end-to-end solution for processing payments, tracking, monitoring, accounting, reconciliation and reporting. It provides the scheme managers a unified platform for tracking releases and monitoring their last mile utilization.

Government has decided to universalise the use of PFMS to cover all transactions/payments under the Central Sector Schemes. The complete monitoring of these schemes will require mandatory registration of all Implementing Agencies (IAs) on PFMS and mandatory use of Expenditure, Advance & Transfer (EAT) module of the PFMS by all IAs. The Implementation Plan covers the complete universe of Central Sector Schemes, which inter-alia requires certain steps to be taken by each Ministry/ Department like bringing the Central Sector Schemes on the PFMS Platform, mandatory registration of Implementing Agencies receiving and utilizing funds on PFMS, mandatory usage of PFMS modules by all registered agencies, including Grantee Institutions, for making payments, advances and transfers etc.

Department of Expenditure has issued detailed instructions on 15th July, 2016 to the Ministries to integrate their systems/applications with the PFMS. The Central Project Monitoring Unit of PFMS will assist the Ministries in registration of Implementing Agencies for the Central Sector Schemes. Central Ministries/Departments have been directed to complete the full roll-out of PFMS in respect of the Ministry/Department and Attached/ Subordinate Offices by 31st October, 2016, and for all Grantee Institutions by 31st March 2017.

Mandatory PFMS registration and EAT module use required for implementing agencies, enforcing centralised payment and monitoring compliance. PFMS use is made universal and compulsory for all Central Sector Schemes: Implementing Agencies must register on PFMS and must employ the Expenditure, Advance & Transfer (EAT) module for payments, advances and transfers. Ministries must integrate their systems with PFMS and the Central Project Monitoring Unit will assist in registration and onboarding, creating a centralised platform for tracking releases, accounting, reconciliation and last-mile utilisation monitoring.