Kolkata: The Panchayats and Rural Development (P&RD) department is introducing an unified accounting software “Sahaj Saral” under West Bengal Panchayat Management System (WBPMS) for ensuring real time entry of all transactions in the three-tier Panchayat.
The software will come into effect from April 1. Presently, the Gram Panchayat (GP) uses an accounting software known as Gram Panchayat Management System (GPMS) while the Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad uses a software named IFMS-Saral. In this existing system, the functionaries hardly made real time entries of the transactions which caused delay in update of the transaction records. In the new system, the Pass for Payment process will be recorded and verified followed by the entry of the debit (payment) voucher.
“In the existing system, a manual receipt is issued to a person after payment in any of the three-tier Panchayats. However, now the receipt will be generated from this new system which will enable the department to understand in real time that the payment has been credited to our Panchayat account,” said a P&RD department official.
The official said that the national accounting code has been followed in the new system. “One single voucher entry efficiently updates all daily record-keeping tasks. The unified accounting system ensures uniformity in financial reporting and record keeping across all Panchayati Raj institutions, making it easier to compare and analyse data, facilitating better oversight and auditing of financial activities,” the official said.
The department will be integrating the system with online trade license, building approval plan, Panchayat tourism and asset management, ensuring that payments made through these portals are directly updated in the cashbook of the respective PRI.
Secretary of the department wrote to all district magistrates to close the book of accounts for the financial year 2024-25 by April 7 for smooth transition to the new accounting system. No entry will be allowed in GPMS and IFMS accounting portal for the 2025-26 fiscal.
The additional executive officer (Zilla Parishad), executive officer (Panchayat Samiti) and executive assistant (Gram Panchayat) will serve as admin and will be responsible for assigning roles to various users.