New Delhi: In a move aimed at bolstering governance and streamlining financial operations, the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Jagat Prakash Nadda, inaugurated a digital e-bill system to process fertilizer subsidies worth approximately ₹2 lakh crore. The launch, held in New Delhi, marks a significant shift from traditional manual, paper-based processes to a fully digitized workflow, eliminating the need for physical handling of bills.
Nadda emphasized the system's pivotal role in strengthening transparent, efficient, and technology-driven governance. The initiative aligns with the Prime Minister's vision of Digital India and the goal of achieving Viksit Bharat by 2047, representing a major step towards digital governance and financial reforms within the Department of Fertilizers.
Fertilizers Secretary Rajat Kumar Mishra hailed the launch as a major milestone in modernizing the department's financial operations. The e-bill system is the result of a collaboration between the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS) of the Department of Fertilizers and the Public Financial Management System (PFMS) under the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), Ministry of Finance.
CGA Santosh Kumar highlighted the enhanced transparency and accountability brought about by this transformation. The system establishes a centralized, tamper-proof digital audit trail for all financial transactions, simplifying monitoring and audits. It also provides real-time oversight of expenditures and strengthens financial control by centrally tracking and reporting all payments.
Manoj Sethi, Joint Secretary in the Fertilizer Ministry, noted that the system enables end-to-end digital bill processing, which will significantly accelerate payment timelines, including the timely release of weekly fertilizer subsidy payments. The e-bill platform enhances user convenience by allowing fertilizer companies to submit claims online and track payment status in real time, eliminating the need for physical visits and manual follow-ups.
The new system enforces a standardized electronic workflow, incorporating a first-in-first-out bill processing mechanism. This ensures consistency and compliance with financial regulations. Furthermore, it incorporates robust built-in controls that validate payments against predefined criteria and meticulously log every action for audit purposes, thereby mitigating the risk of fraud or misuse. The seamless data exchange between the Department’s internal system and PFMS eliminates duplicate data entry, reduces manual errors, and improves overall processing efficiency and data accuracy. This reinforces the government's commitment to a transparent, efficient, and technology-driven administration.
