PROCESSING VERIFICATION OF USO CLAIM By

PROCESSING & VERIFICATION OF USO CLAIM By – K. N. Jha,

Basic concept of USO claim settlement • • • Self certification of claim by USP/IP Release the payment on preliminary scrutiny Don’t behave like a Police Officer Provision of Post Check Adjust the excess paid amount Penalty for wrong claim

Submission of Claim • Quarterly in arrears • Within 30 days from end of the quarter (30 th April, July, Oct. , Jan) • In the office of respective CCA • Both in Hard and Soft copy • Along with all documents/attachments & affidavit in prescribed proforma • To be signed by authorised representative • Incomplete claim should not be accepted

Submission of Claim • In case of non acceptance of claim, CCA should write to USP with reason • Minor omission / errors may be accepted with a warning letter to the USP for future reference

Claim Intimation • On receipt of valid subsidy claim from the IP/USP CCA office will intimate it to the USO Headquarter immediately by FAX/e-mail / post in prescribed proforma – OSR – I / IR – I • This is nothing but activity wise subsidy claim by the USP received in CCA offiece

Delay in submission of claim • Delayed claim can also be accepted by the CCA provided a request from USP for condonation of delay citing reason for delay is received. • Request for condonation of delay should be forwarded to Administrator (USOF) • The claim settlement will be subject to condonation of delay by the USO HQ. • Revised / additional claim can also be accepted

Validity of Claims • For ongoing USO subsidy schemes many agreements are old and now likely to be expired. • Due care should be taken to see that subsidy is not allowed beyond the validity period of agreement. • It should also be ensured that subsidy is not paid beyond the maximum period for which subsidy is payable. (Ready reference)

Check list for acceptance of claim • • Within 30 days Prescribed Proforma/Annexures/Enclosers Affidavit on stamp paper Stamped Pre-receipt Claim duly signed by the authorised person Both in hard and soft copy of claim CAF & Bill summary/CDR for RDEL – X

Check list contd …. • 1 st Bll of VPT for uncovered village Phase – I, Phase – II & RCP • SSA wise list of NIMR, DNP & Closed VPTs should be submitted • Certificate of DGM(TR)/GM(TR) about verification of claim with billing records before submission to CCA

Scrutiny of subsidy claim • Financial condition of the agreement should be kept in mind • Hard copy and soft copy of the claim should tally • Representative rate as per Financial condition should be checked • Name of the SSA/Clustor No. should match as per agreement • Consolidation sheet of the claim should be checked w. r. t. total no. of VPT/RCP etc. and number added in the quarter

Scrutiny contd ……… • OB of the claimed number should be the CB of the last quarter’s claimed number • Period of fault pertains to the quarter for which claim has been submitted • Faulty days ‘from’ and ‘to’ should be included. Example – VPT faulty 1. 5. 09 to 9. 5. 09 = 9 days and accordingly subsidy shall be deducted

Scrutiny contd ……… • Date of installation should be in DD/MM/YY format and it should be in complete form. Not like Jan. 09 etc. • Sorting of data can be done electronically on the basis of village name and STD code to check repetition of claim. However village census code may also to be checked to ensure it.

Scrutiny contd ……… • While comparing the claim preferred by two USPs for same SSA if common village names are found, claim of such VPTs should be withheld pending verification through billing records/census code/Physical verification etc. • Net addition of DELs should be scrutinized w. r. t. DNP cases disconnected for > 3 months and closing Advice Note not issued

Disbursement of subsidy • • • Quarterly in arrears After making adjustments if any After preliminary scrutiny, subsidy should be released normally within 30 days • On completion of preliminary checking USO subsidy can be allowed for payment • CCA office will ask USO Hq. for authorisation of fund for making payment to the IP/USP

Disbursement of subsidy contd. . • Fund should be asked in prescribed Proforma giving activity wise details • On receipt of authorization Sanction Memo is being issued by CCA office for payment • Payment is made through cheques. • Payment should be made within one week of receipt of authorization of Fund • Payment should not in excess of authorisation of fund. However in case of short payment, balance should be surrendered to USO Hq.

Classification of subsidy payment • On disbursement of subsidy the expenditure will be booked under the head 3275 -00 -103 ‘ compensation to service providers for USO’ • Payment to USP say Rs. xx shall be as under – Dr 3275 -00 -103 (TACT code 1515) - Rs. xx Cr. 8670 (Cheques and bills) - Rs. xx

Classification of subsidy contd. . . • After payment corresponding amount will also be booked as deduct entry under head – 3275 -00 -902. Deduct amt. met from USO fund by debiting the head 8235 -00 -118 USO Fund Accounting entry shall be (-) Dr. 3275 -00 -902 (TACT 1508) – (- Rs. xx) Dr. 8235 -00 -118 (TACT 2821) – (Rs. xx)

Post check and monitoring • 100% checking from billing records • Xge record and commercial records should be used as supporting records for checking like Technology used, date of installation, duration of fault etc. • Each SSA in the service area should be visited for the purpose of sample check at least once a year. • 100% Mob. Infra sites should be inspected by CCA office preferably by Jt. CCA/STS level officer

Post check and monitoring contd… • Physical Inspection (as per proforma) ØWorking condition ØLocation- accessibility ØSTD facility in case of VPT ØPublic utility number ( 100, 139 etc. ) dialing facility ØDisplay Board / Tariff chart ØANNEXURE – 9 will be the base for inspection of Mobile Infrastructure Sites

Some suggestions for Physical Inspection ü Take the blank format prescribed for Inspection ü Take suitable photographs of the Inspection ü Get the logistics ready in advance – Tour Program, Accommodation, Suitable Vehicle, Potable water, Food, Camera, Route Map etc. ü Ask USP/IP to accompany ü Discuss with Management after Inspection