CHAPTER XXV
PRICED LEDGERS

2501. Location of Office.—The Stores Accounts Office is a part of the office of the Chief Accounts Officer, located preferably in the closest proximity to, if not along with the office of the Controller of Stores so that the latter is in close touch with his accounts.

2502. A 'Local' unit of the stores Accounts Office may, where circumstances require this, be attached to each of the more important stores depots. Such local offices should work in the closest co-operation with the Depot Officer concerned (being in fact his Accounts Office) and deal with all the accounting of the receipts into and issues of stores from the depot to which they are attached, including :—

(a) the issue of periodical and monthly summaries to departments (both debits and credits).
(b) the verification of stocks;
(c) the compilation of monthly statements of stores Transactions for the depot; and
(d) monthly reconciliation of priced ledgers with General Books.

2503. Functions of the Stores Accounts Office.—The main functions of the Stores Accounts Office are :—
(a) to check the initial documents of receipt and issue, and adjust their value in the books of the railway, maintaining the necessary accounts records therefor ;
(b) to compile the stores accounts and prepare the periodical returns due to the Controller of Stores, the General Manager, and the Railway Board; and
(c) to verify the stocks of stores in the depots and on the line annually or at such other periods as prescribed for each category and nature of stock.

2504. The more important items of work involved in discharging the first of the three functions, viz., the initial check and accountal of vouchers, may be grouped as follows :
(a) The maintenance of priced ledgers and effecting reconciliation of the balances in the priced ledgers with the General Books monthly through the means of group ledgers.
(b) Arranging for the recovery of the cost of stores issued including any incidental and departmental charges, whether in cash or by means of book adjustments (Summaries of Issues).
(c) Arranging for the discharge of liabilities incurred in connection with the receipt of stores, either by cash payment or by means of book adjustments (Payment of Bills).
(d) Maintenance of Accounts Registers in connection with the above items of work in order to keen a proper record of the assets and the liabilities and to guard against double or overpayments or the omission of recoveries due.
(e) Maintenance of liability registers for stock items to record the liabilities entered into as and when the orders are placed on the suppliers/contractors or indents are placed on the procurement agencies and watch the liquidation of such liabilities.

2505. The Stores Accounts Officer.—The Stores Accounts Office will be under the Stores Accounts Officer, a Gazetted Officer, whose duties are two-fold. He is responsible to the Chief Accounts Officer for the efficient working of his branch and in this capacity he exercises a complete and independent audit of all stores transactions and maintain a dis' tinct set of audit registers and books. Subject to the control and general direction of the Chief Accounts Officer, he also acts as adviser to the Contioiler of Stores (Deputies or Depot Officer in local offices) in all matters of stores accounts and finance and assists that officer with all information in connection with compilation of stores transactions, including book rates, consumption of stores balances etc.

2506. The maintenance of priced ledgers of stores involves different groups of operations.
Group A—

(i) The receipt and check of vouchers and forwarding the same to Data Centre.

(ii) Periodical listing of the transactions and forwarding the same to Data Centre 

(iii) Opening and closing of priced ledgers as advised by the Depot Officer, after due check. 

(v) Checking of punched data, as per data processing procedures.

(v) Accurate and timely maintenance of priced ledgers through EDP Centre.

Group B—

(i) Scrutiny of all unmatched vouchers, vouchers causing irregular balance items and other rejected vouchers and their clearance.

(ii) Scrutiny of printed ledgers for abnormal and unreasonable results and their elimination.

Group C—

(i) The revision of rate...

(ii) The review of the priced ledgers.

2507. The operations detailed in paragraph 2506 should be carefully planned and allocated in such a manner that the work will not only be upto date, but also the accuracy thereof is also ensured.

2508. All vouchers affecting stores transactions, (except those relating to adjustments of monetary values only, such as the correction of mistakes in such values, etc.) will be received from the stores depot. Every such voucher will represent a physical receipt or issue of a quantity of stock as shown on the document. The exceptions will be cases in which a quantity, short received or erroneously received instead of the correct material and returned since, is permitted to be shown as in stock pending the settlement of the dispute regarding such shortages; and cases of correction of price list numbers discovered after the vouchers have been despatched etc.

2509. Time Table for submission of voucher by Depots.—The vouchers should be made over by the Depot to the Stores Accounts Office, daily. The vouchers for a date, say the first of a month, should be completely delivered to the Stores Accounts Office, without fail, wherever no holiday intervenes, on the morning of the third, within the hour of the opening of the office. The vouchers would be accompanied by the Forwarding Memo (S. 1256). Where the stores depot and the Stores Accounts Office are not in the same station, the time allowed may be modified to suit local conditions taking care to see that there is no avoidable delay in the regular submission of the vouchers to the Accounts Office. The Accounts Office shall after checking the vouchers, bundle them in bathes (according to the voucher code and date) periodically as per programme laid down by the Data Centre and deliver them on these dates.

2510. Check of vouchers.—On receipt in the Accounts Office, the vouchers should be cheeked with the Forwarding Memo (S. 1256) to see;

(a) that all the vouchers entered therein have been received; and

(b) that the serial numbers assigned to the vouchers as laid down in paragraphs 1255 and 1315 are correctly continued from the previous day and have been assigned without any break.

2511. Cancelled or Missing Vouchers.—If any vouchers are missing, or if any have been shown as cancelled, a search should be made for the missing vouchers and if they cannot be obtained at once, a note should be kept in a register and the matter pursued until settled satisfactorily. In the case of cancelled vouchers, the foil of such vouchers should be inspected as laid down in paragraph 1332. In checking the vouchers with the Forwarding Memo (S. 1256) the arrangement of die vouchers as received from the depot should not be disturbed, even if this involves some inconvenience.

2512. Secutiny of the Vouchers.—The vouchers should then be examined to see that :

(a) they have been prepared on the proper forms and with proper voucher code;
(b) they are signed and/or countersigned by proper authority or authorities as required by the rules;
(c) the correct number of foils have been received;
(d) they are legibly written;
(e) all data required to be punched are duly entered in the relevant places;
(f) in the case of receipt notes where the ordering unit is different from the accounting unit, both the units are legibly shown. The extra charges such as ST, Surcharge, Excise Duty, Customs Duty, etc. are indicated precisely and not in general terms;
(g) that reference to requisitions on which issues have been made are quoted in the vouchers;
(h) that quantities issued are shown in words also and are no more than the quantity requisitioned;
(i) in case of Sale Issue Notes other than Inter-Railway sales, the sale value as per the Sale order is clearly indicated on the sale vouchers;
(j) that in respect of receipts, there is no undue delay between the dates of receipt of the stores in the depot and of accountal in the Priced ledgers; and
(k) that where it is required to state reasons for sending or transferring material, as in the case of Advice Notes and Book Transfers, such reasons hare been given.

2513. Deleted

2514. Deleted.

2515. Receipts and issues of stores are ordinarily priced either;
(a) at rates which are already shown on the vouchers for such transactions as purchases or at predetermined rates for manufactures by Railway Workshops, advice notes for return stores/Depot transfer Receipts; or
(b) at book average rates, as in the case of receipts under Book Transfers, Department and Account Stock Verification Sheets, and all vouchers for issue of stores except those relating to sale. However, sale issue vouchers relating to sales to other Indian Railways and Production Units will be priced at the book average rate.

2516. Deleted.

2517. Deleted.

2518. Calculations of values.—The calculation of values of all the vouchers, other than the Receipt Notes, Advice Notes and Sale Issue Notes, and withdrawal vouchers will be done automatically by the Computer at the book average rate. The calculation of values at predetermine! credit rates for Advice Notes, shop manufacture receipts and Depot transfer receipts is also done on the Computer. In the Case of Receipt Notes, the Receipt Note is given the calculation clerk and the correctness of the value should be independently checked by another clerk. Where a voucher is received in more than one foil, each foil is best given to separate clerk and later the correctness of the work should be checked by pairing and comparing the values on both the foils. Whenever the withdrawal vouchers are accounted for, they should be priced at the original value.

2519. Rounding off Paise—In calculating the value of each item of stores in connection with the Receipts or Issues, the value should be taken nearest to the paise,

2520. In the case of purchases through the Centralised Agencies, the calculation of values of the item in the Receipt Note should be reckoned in terms of whole rupees, amounts below 50 paise being dropped, and 50 paise and above reckoned as one Rupee. If more than one it is entered in a Receipt Note, the rounding off should be done on the total of the items and not on individual items. This is necessary in order that the amount posted in the Purchase Accounts Registers and the Priced ledgers agree with the bill forwarded by the Pay & Accounts, Officer of the DGS&D Wing, who rounds off paise to the nearest rupee.

2521. 0) Receipt Notes (S. 719).—In the case of Railways with decentralised inspection, Part III of Form S. 719 will be received from the depot after it has been taken into account. The value of the supplies should be calculated at the rates shown on the voucher. It should then be handed over to the ledger clerk for posting the priced ledgers, after which it should be posted in the Purchase Account Register (S. 2809).

(b) Receipt Notes (S. 726). In the case of Railways with centralised inspection of supplied and centralised stores accounting, Part IV of Form S. 726 will be received from the depot, after it has been taken into account. The value of the supplies as shown on the voucher should be checked. The voucher should then be handed over for posting the priced ledgers.

Note. —Under an organisation of decentrailsed Stores Accounts Offices (see Note to paragraph 729-S) part V of the Receipt Note should be paired with Part IV received with the Daily Summary of Credit to Purchasers Account (S.28O8), the quantities being checked and a remark made on Part V to that effect. The value shown or. Part V should be checked with the amount shown in the periodical summary (S.2808) and the date of accountal of the voucher in the priced ledgers should be note on the latter at the same time.

2522 Receipt Orders for imported items.—Receipt Order for imported items should not only contain the rates for the item but also the rates of packing charges, insurance, freight, customs duty, countervailing duty, etc. The receipt value should then be calculated taking into account all the above factors. The voucher should then be passed on for posting the priced ledgers.

2523 Workshop Manufactures (S. 1548). The values for these items are calculated by these Computer at the pre-determined rates advised by the Workshops periodically. Whenever new items are undertaken for manufacture and the pre-determined rates are not available, the estimated rate should be obtained and indicated on the vouchers before they are passed on to the Computer Centre.

2524 Depot Transfer Receipts (3rd foil).—Periodical summaries of Issues (showing also the rit-s of issue) against the depots to which materials have been sent will be prepared by the Stores Accounts Section The same will be handed over to the concerned staff dealing with the Receiving Depot In case of local Stores Accounts Office attached to each depot, the summary should be sent to the Stores Accounts Officer of the receiving Depot. The rates and values required for pricing the 3rd foil, should be taken from the above summary. The voucher should then passed on to the EDP Centre for posting the priced ledgers and preparation of unified class ledgers.

2525. Advice Notes of Returned Stores (S. 1539).—The pre-determined credit rates will be adopted for the valuing these returns. The detailed procedure regarding these returns has been laid down in Chapter XVI.

2526.- Book Transfers and Departmental and Accounts Stock Verification Sheets (Single Foils—These vouchers should be priced at book rates by the Computer while posting the Priced Ledgers.

2527. All issue vouchers will be received in the Accounts Office of which one copy is for-warded to the Computer Centre. The issue should be priced at book average rates except the Sale Issue Notes which will be priced according to the terms of sale. The calculation of the values should be made in the same lines as laid down in Paragraph 2518.

2528. Adjustments of Loss or Gain on Sales.-The irregular balances in the priced ledgers arising out of the differences in value between the book rates and the tender, auction or private sale rates should be adjusted on the same day by debit or credit to stock Adjustment Account; Stock Adjustment vouchers (S. 2548) (one copy only) should be prepared by the Computer at the time of posting priced ledgers and posted in the ledgers. Periodical summary of such items should be prepared by Computer Centre for such transactions separately. On receipt of such summary from the Computer Centre, the Accounts Officer should see whether proper sanctions exist for any losses on sales.

2529. Time Table for Pricing and Valuation of Vouchers.—The Pricing and calculation of values of vouchers should be finished on the same day the returns are received from the depot.

2530. Priced Ledgers should be maintained by the Group of Stores' according to the Grouping of stores vide para 201-S. As the ledgers are printed on continuous stationery, the Priced Ledgers printed should indicate the last date of transaction to facilitate back reference. They should be maintained in Form S. 2530 shown below (see paragraphs 1403 and 2605) or such other convenient form as may be prescribed by FA & CAO. The ledgers are printed periodically in the order of depot, ward, price list number and category.

Form No. S. 2530

PRICED LEDGER FOR THE MONTH OF..................199

       THEN NEXT ITEM AND SO ON 
   
2531. Deleted. 

2532. Exhibition of Maxima and Minima on the Priced Ledgers.—It is not obligatory to show the maxima and minima stocks on the priced ledgers. During verification of stocks, the Accounts Stock Verifiers should review the existing stock with reference to the maxima and minima annual requirements and also with reference, if necessary, to the statistics of monthly and annual consumption relating to the item. They should report to the Stores Accounts Officer and the Depot Officer cases in which the maxima or minima appear to be excessive in the light of actual average consumption.

Note:—The Infomation regarding maxima, minima, annual requirements etc. may be called for by the Verified from the Computer Centre for the above purpose.

2533. Rules for upkeep.—The priced ledgers printed and given by the Computer Centre will be bound and kept month-wise and Ward and Group wise.
A list of priced ledgers opened for the month and closed should be furnished by the Computer Centre and these lists should be filed along with the priced ledgers for the month. A copy of the above list should be sent to the Depot Officer for his information and record.

2534. Deleted.

2535. Opening of Priced Ledgers.—Whenever the depot opens for the first time a ledger for an item of stores, a manuscript advice (ARD for Master file) (S. 1404-A) in duplicate will be sent to the Computer Centre through Accounts Office the same day giving the following particulars, viz., unified group, price list number, category and quality of stores (paragraph 2605), nomenclature and unit and other particulars as are required for the Master file. On receipt of the Advice, the Computer Centre will open the new Priced Led tier after exercising (lie necessary validity checks.

2536. Index of Priced ledger Cards.—The EDP Centre should furnish the Accounts Office with an up-to-date list of all Priced Ledgers at least once a year. The list should indicate all the relevant particulars such as depot, ward, price list number, quality, unit of accountal, last date of issue, last date of verification, quantity balance, value balance, book average rate, etc.

2537. Deleted.

2538. No change should be made by the depot staff in any of the particulars of the cards opened by the Computer Centre and accepted by the Accounts Office without the concurrence of the Accounts Officer. Some important examples of the cases to which this restriction applies are :—
(a) Changes in the nomenclature or unified list number as appearing in the existing ledgers.

(b) Changes of the unit of accountal, such as an alteration from weight to number, number to cubical contents, etc. In such cases, in addition to obtaining the previous concurrence of the Accounts Officer and Computer Centre, the actual stock should be verified by Accounts Stock Verifiers in the existing unit and in the proposed unit and any discrepancy discovered under the existing unit should be adjusted before the account in terms of the new unit is posted in the ledgers.

(c) The splitting up of an existing item of nomenclature or heading into further items or headings. 

(d) The grouping of existing items of nomenclature or headings into a single item or "' heading. In this and the former cases, such splitting or grouping should be done in the presence of an Accounts Stock Verifier.

2539. Closing of Priced Ledgers.—When a depot proposes to close a card, it will send the Accounts Office necessary advices (ARD for Master file) in Form S. 1404-B giving full particulars as in the case of the opening of cards. The advice will also state the number and date of the last voucher to be posted which will enable the Accounts Office to see that all the vouchers forwarded by the depot up to the time of closing have also been posted in the priced ledger. Before the ledgers are closed it should be seen that there are no irregular balances and there are no outstanding purchase orders against that item. The same should then be forwarded to the Computer Centre for the closure of the item. The Computer Centre will ensure that all the closure advices received are given effect to after suitable checks.

2540. Items deleted from the computer files in accordance with para 2539 should be listed simultaneously by the Computer Centre and a copy of the above list should be sent to the Depot Officer for his information and record.

2541. Re-opening of Cards.—The same procedure as laid down for the opening of cards should be followed in this connection,

2542. Deleted.

2543. The priced ledgers are the basis of all stores accounting and the utmost care should be taken to avoid errors therein. The following instructions are therefore laid down for the guidance of ledger posters with a view to minimise all chances of errors in ledger posting :—

(a) Up-keep of Priced Ledgers.—The Priced Ledgers should be maintained neatly and safely as received from the EDP Centre periodically and in proper order of depot and ward.

(b) Posting of Vouchers.—Before sending the vouchers for posing for the day, it should be seen by the Accounts Office that the vouchers in hand relate to correct depot, group and correct month.

(c) During the course of posting, the poster should take care to see :—
(i) that the nomenclature and price list number of each item of stores as shown in the return corresponds with the nomenclature and price list number of the same item of stores in the priced ledgers. An item in a return should be sent for punching only when the above particulars agree.
(ii) that the number and date of the voucher and the figures of quantities and value are distinctly written in the vouchers without flourish and within the lines/ cages allotted to the respective figures.
(iii) that no voucher received or any item thereof has been omitted to be punched or posted in the priced ledgers or has been posted twice by the Computer Centre. For this purpose, the punch operator should write the letter 'P' against each item in a voucher after it has been punched and ' V after it has been verified. A detailed list checking should be made comparing with the totals already arrived at.

(d) The Computer Centre should punch all the vouchers receive by them on the date of their receipt. Should a ledger punching and posting work fall into arrears for any reason e.g. rush of vouchers on a particular day, Computer room/Punch room is expected to clear the same on the same date. In cases of sudden illness, or other absences beyond one's control, the supervisor of the section should make arrangements, to get the work done with the approval of the competent authority, and a note should be kept of the vouchers for the correct punching and verification of which responsibility will rest on the person to whom the work is allotted.

(e) During the course of posting the vouchers, the Computer Centre should print a statement in FormS. 2543 or such other form as may be prescribed by FA & CAO, giving particulars of Unified List Number, Price List Number wherever it is found that :—
(i) the receipt rate varies from the book rate by 10 per cent or more;

(ii) credit balances have appeared either in quantity or value; 

(iii) quantities exist without value or values without quantities; 

(iv) the unit in vouchers varies from the P.L. Unit.

(f) Adjustment Receipt Notes.—Sometimes the Controller of Stores sends Adjustment Receipt Notes to set right mistakes committed in the original Receipt Notes. In such cases, the Adjustment Receipt Notes should bear reference to the original Receipt Note Number, R.O. Number and date and the original rate and value of the item.

(g) Other Adjustments such a; write-back, under or overcharge statements, etc.—In all  such cases, the Accounts Office should verify the posting of the original transaction and should give a cross reference manually against the posting Adjustment Voucher
(h) Posting of Stock Verification Sheets.—
(i) While posting stock sheets, both departmental and accounts, the Computer Centre should see the date of verification and carefully compare the opening balances shown on the stock sheet with the balance shown on the priced ledger for the same date and should then proceed to post the stock sheet.
(ii) Discrepancies between Opening Balance and Book Balance as per Priced Ledgers.-If there is any discrepancy in the ground balance on the date of verification the difference between the ground balance and the book balance should be posted in the priced ledgers bringing the priced ledger balance in accord with the actual ground balance. These differences should be valued at the book average rate prevailing on that date.
(iii) When the discrepancy is subsequently traced any further adjustment on account of the resultant deficiency or excess should be adjusted through a supplemental stock verification sheet prepared in the Accounts Office for the purpose. This stock verification sheet should be assigned the same number as the original one with the word 'Supplemental' added thereto.

(i) Certification of verification.—At the end of verification of the stock of each unified group, the Computer Centre, on a request from the Accounts. Officer, should print a list of items, if any, which have not been verified during the programme period, with a view to have such omissions in verifications rectified. This should be ensured by providing for the date of verification in Computer files.
(ii) Discrepancies between Opening Balance of Numerical and Priced Ledgers.—If there is any discrepancy in the depot and accounts opening balances as on the date of verification the matter should be investigated at once by reference to the numerical ledger card (if available in the station) and the discrepancy rectified before the results of verification are posted in the priced ledgers.

(iii) If the Numerical Ledger is most immediately available, the priced ledger balance should be inserted in the column provided for the purpose, in the Stock Verification Sheet, and the difference between the balance and the actual balance by count should be priced, value and posted in the priced ledgers thus bringing the priced ledger balance in accord with the actual ground balance. At the same time the discrepancy between the depot ledger and the accounts ledger should be noted down in the register (S. 2577), to be maintained for reconciliation of depot ledgers with priced ledgers. The depot ledger card should be cither called for at once or the matter left over till the next reconciliation is due, depending on whether the amount of differences is above Rs. 50 or Rs. 50 and below; when the discrepancy is traced and set right, any further adjustment on account of the resultant deficiency or excess should be adjusted through a supplemental Stock Verification Sheet prepared in the Account Office for the purpose. This Stock Verification Sheet should be assigned the same as the original one with the word "Supplemental" added thereto

(k) Certificate of Verification.—At the end of the verification of the stocks of each class of stores, a ledger poster should go through his ledgers and put up list of items, if any, which have not been verified, with a view to have such omissions rectified. 

(i) Disposal of Completed Ledger Sheets.—The ledger poster should particularly see that completed sheets are transferred to suitable binders or cabinets as soon as new continuation sheets have been opened in their place. All such binders or cabinets should be suitably labelled and all completed sheets should be put in them in the order of their depots, class and price list numbers and along with the previous sheets for the same item.

2544. Deleted.

2545. Vouchers posted as Minus Receipts.—The following return will be posted in the ledgers as minus receipts :
(a) Depot Transfer Issue Notes.—The se will be posted as minus receipts in the issuing depot and as plus receipts in the receiving depot and accounted for accordingly in all subsequent stages of the accounts.
(b) Book Transfers.-The posting in the card, stocks from which has been transferred will be shown as minus receipt and accounted for similarly in all other stages of accounts.
(c) Deficiencies in stocks and all other transactions to debit of 'Stock Adjustment Account.-Will be posted as minus receipts and accounted for accordingly. The Stock Adjustment Account itself will however exhibit the debits and credits separately.

2546. Vouchers originating in the Accounts Office.—In addition to the vouchers mentioned in paragraphs 1410 and 1411 which will be initiated by the depot, paragraphs 2547 and 2548 show the vouchers which will;,be prepared in the stores Accounts Office and posted in the priced ledgers only.

2547. Under and Overcharge Returns.—When an issue made on an issue note or a receipt through an advice note has been debited or credited at wrong rates or values, an undercharge or overcharge return in form S. 2547-A(for receipt transactions) or S. 2547-B (for issue transactions) should be prepared adjusting the error and the return should be posted in the priced ledgers and accounted for by inclusion in the debit or credit summaries of the department concerned.

Form No. S. 2547 A & B

(1) Party against whom debited or credited.
(2) Original voucher number and date.
(3) Class and price list number.
(4) Quantity issued or received.
(5) Rate charged. Value.
(6) Correct Rate.
(7) Value.
(8) Overcharge.
(9) Undercharge.
(10) Allocation of original voucher.
(11) Remarks.

2547-A. Under and Overcharges advised by the Supplying Departments or firms.—Such 'undercharges uptoRs. 200 in each case may be adjusted direct to Stock Adjustment Account without routing through the Priced Ledgers and where such undercharges or overcharges exceed Rs. 200 in each case, the same should be accounted for in the Priced Ledgers like ordinary 'receipt' to be merged automatically in the average rates for subsequent issues or adjusted in due course against the Stock Adjustment Account if there is no stock in hand or stock so little that undercharges or overcharges would affect the average rate by 10 per cent or more as compared with the current market rate. Undercharges and overcharges in respect of stores for special works or stores used directly on works excepting those chargeable to Workshop Manufacture Suspense in Production Units should however be adjusted direct against the works concerned.

2548. Stock Adjustment Vouchers.—These are vouchers for money values only in connecon with debits or credits to Part II and III of Stock Adjustment Account by -contra adjustment against the head 'Stores with supporting entries in the priced ledgers. The entries in the priced ledgers will be made as receipts and minus receipts. The form shown below should be used for the purpose. 

Form 5.2548

STOCK ADJUSTMENT VOUCHER

Against part.........................................................................of Stock Adjustment Account.
Depot............................................
Date................................
ALLOCATION :

Stores Accounts Officer

2549. Adjustment for Rupee one or less.—Such adjustments on account of under or over charges or against the Stock Adjustment Account should not, however, be made for petty sums not exceeding one rupee. In such cases, a remark should be made on the priced ledger manually against the posting of the item in question to show that the error has been noticed.

2550. Deleted.

2551. Deleted.

2552. Deleted.

2553. Disposal of vouchers after posting Priced Ledgers.—After the posting of each day has been completed by the Computer Section, the Computer Section will forward all the vouchersy to Priced Ledger Section for onward transmission of the same to the departments/Suspense Accounts Section along with their respective summaries.

2554. With the object of assisting the Controller of Stores in maintaining the Price List upto date and at the same time of removing from the priced ledgers large differences between the book average rates and the rates published in the Price Lists, a clerk should be assigned the duty of examining at least once a week the special print outs given by the Computer Centre (S. 2543 and S. 2563) and of taking action on the proposals relating to rate revision contained in the register. He should consult the relevant priced ledgers and submit 'proposal for revision of price list rates' in form S. 2554 showing the following particulars.

Form No. S. 2554

(1) Class.
(2) P.L. No.
(3) Description of Stores.
(4) Unit.
(5) Book rate.
(6) Price List rate.
(7) Quantity in stock.
(8) Current Market Rate.—
             (a) Purchase Order number and date.
             (b) Receipt Note number and date.
              (c) Rate.
(9) Suggested new rate.
(10) Controller of Stores Orders.

2555. In order to avoid duplication of work the rate revision clerks of each depot should prepare the statement only for the items for which the depot is the 'main depot'. Where it is not found necessary to have individual clerks for individual depots, it should be ensured that this phase of work is completely covered on a programmed basis.

2556. The lists should then be forwarded to the Controller of Stores who should decide whether and when the rate should be revised, and what such revised rate shall be.

2557. The Controller of Stores may also originate revision of rates as in cases of store obtained on contracts.

2558. The correction slips to the Price Lists will be issued by the Controller of Stores.

2559. Deleted.

2560. Revaluation of Balances.—The value of balances in the ledgers will also be corrected at the revised rate by preparing a stock adjustment voucher for all such corrections, subject to the rule that there should be no writing up to the values over the actual cost paid for purchased stores in stock (paragraph 210).

2561. Irregular Balances.—With the object of removing from the priced ledgers all irregular balances, ledgers should be continuously over-hauled by ledger 'reviewers'. This work should be arranged so as to complete a review of all the ledgers once every six months. The reviewers are expected to notice all lapses and to so conduct the review works as to ensure that all irregularities are brought to notice. Among the more important irregularities are :

(a) Credit balances in quantity or value.
(b) Value without quantity.
(c) Quantity without value.
(d) Price List rate varying from the book rate by 10 per cent or more.
(e) Adjustment carried out without the preparation of vouchers signed by a Gazetted Officer.
(f) Items which are overdue for stock verification.
(g) Incomplete headings.
(h) Stocks not having been issued for more than two years (excluding emergency stores).
(i) Stocks heavy as compared with normal issues.

To facilitate review, the Computer Centre should furnish a statement of such irregularities periodically. The Computer Centre should also at the same time ensure that suitable machinery has been provided for in the system to arrest the irregularities (a) to (e) entering the Computer tile.

2562. Scrutiny by Section Officer and Stores Accounts Officer.—The Section Officer should scrutinise the irregularities pointed out by the Computer Centre at least once in six months. He should submit a report to the Accounts Officer indicating the results of scrutiny. The work of the reviewer should come under the scrutiny of the Accounts Officer at least once in a year.

2563. Review of Registers.—All irregularities noticed by the reviewers or the Section Officer should be noted down in special registers (S. 2563) (Manuscript) and put up for the information of the Accounts Officer on the 1st of each month. The irregularities noticed by gazetted officer will be recorded in a separate register. All necessary action to set right the irregularities should be taken very promptly.

2564. Importance of Review Works.—The review of ledgers as a daily item of work is of the greatest importance, and when it falls into arrears, differences needing adjustments swell into abnormal figures and considerable time it lost by the clerks in tracing reasons and causes for these differences. The review work should therefore be conducted systematically and properly, a proper programme being drawn up for the work monthly.

2565. Review Procedure.—The Computer centre should prepare a statement for all the items of stores scheduled to be taken for review during the month, giving the total value of the quantity on hand, multiplied by the current book rate, the actual book value and the difference between the actual book value and the calculated value. If the difference is less than Rs. 200 a general scrutiny may be made and the difference adjusted. Differences higher than this limit should be investigated and necessary stock adjustment vouchers prepared with full explanations for the differences recorded thereon before submission to the gazetted officer.

2566. Deleted.

2567. Deleted.

2568. The reviewers and the staff preparing adjustments are responsible for the correctness of all adjustments specially those affecting the suspense heads of account, e.g. The Stock Adjustment Account. Cases in which the facts are not clear and approximate adjustments are proposed to be made should be carefully investigated personally by the Section Officer incharge of the section and authorised by a gazetted officer. The Section Officers incharge of the section are personally responsible to see that all adjustments are based on facts, and that no adjustment is based on inadequate evidence. Where a write-off occurs, the sanction of competent authority should be obtained. The existence of a credit balance in the Stock Adjustment Account, is no authority for adjustment without sanction. Any adjustments based on speculative or incomplete data require the previous sanction of the Controller of Railway Accounts.

2569. All cases where the Stock Adjustment Account is affected to the extent of Rs. 500 or over should be examined by the Accounts Officer. All adjustments of Rs. 5,000 or over should be reviewed by the Deputy Chief Accounts Officer and those of Rs. 10,000 or above by the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer.

2570. Other duties of Reviewers.—In addition to the independent review conducted by him in accordance with the foregoing instructions, a reviewer should also conduct the investigation of the items listed by Computer Centre at the time of posting the priced ledgers. He will be responsible for clearing these items.

2571. Deleted.

2572. Deleted.

2573. Deleted.

2574. Deleted.

2575. Deleted.

2576. Deleted.

2577. Deleted.

2578. Deleted.

2579. Deleted.

2580. Deleted.

2581. Deleted.

2582. Deleted.

2583. Deleted.

2584. Deleted.

2585. Deleted.