The Accounts Department has evolved with the necessity to maintain
accounts of transactions at port, preparation of annual budget estimates and
coordinating with audit. Before enforcement of the MPT Act, 1963 the accounts
department was headed by the Chief Accountant and later the Major Port Trust
Act, 1963, assigns clear role for finance functions under Sec 87 to Sec 91, Sec
98 to Sec 101 and Sec 107. On enforcement of the Major Port Trust Act,
1963 the finance department is being headed by the Financial Adviser and Chief
Accounts Officer. Now the Major Port Trust Act, 1963 has amended as the major Port Authorities Act, 2021.
The F.A. & C.A.O as a Financial Adviser to the
Visakhapatnam Port Authority Board and acts as a Chief Accounts Officer to the
Visakhapatnam Port Authority. The Finance department also undertakes an internal
audit of financial transactions through third party audit to ensure the
propriety transparency and accountability of revenues and expenses. In VPA, the
evolution of the port as a land lord port has expanded the role of finance
department in monitoring the implementation of the projects, collecting
royalties and other revenues from the concessioners in time and involving in
arbitration proceedings from the VPA perspective especially on financial
issues. Every proposal that has financial implication needs financial
concurrence and it is a part of prudent financial management envisaged in the
General Financial Rules framed by the Government. In addition there is a
specific Delegation of Financial Power’s for the Ports issued by the Ministry
of Shipping vide letter 11.02.2015
The Finance Department is headed by the Financial Adviser & Chief Accounts Officer. The hierarchical representation of the Finance Department is as follows:
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The main
functions of the F.A. & C.A.O are ·
Administrating and managing the finance department. ·
Advisory function on all financial matters to the
Chairman and Board ·
Accounting and auditing of all port financial
transactions including port revenues. ·
To raise loans on behalf of the Board as and when
necessary. ·
To build up reserves and funds and administer
thereof. ·
To ensure the cash balances of the Board are
invested as per the laid down-regulation. ·
To prepare periodical statements for the information
of the Board. ·
Finalization of annual accounts duly coordinating
with Government Audit. ·
Financial vetting on estimates, proposals, tenders
and board notes, etc. ·
Arranging payment to contractors, suppliers,
employees, and pensioners. ·
Complying various statutory obligations viz., Income
Tax (incl. TDS & TCS), G.S.T, Property Tax, Professional Tax, etc., ·
Implementation of Ministry Orders/circulars
pertaining to employees/officers/trade and contractors etc. ·
Submitting the necessary information to the
Ministry. · Maintaining the Pension Fund, Gratuity Fund, and Provident Fund through their respective trust accounts. With the application of the Income Tax to the Port sector and the GST, various compliance aspects are being monitored by the finance department. The finance department plays a vital role in the overall growth of VPA, especially focusing on prudent financial management and assisting the Board in formulating policies that are sustainable from a finance perspective.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
updated on 13-01-2023