PFMS unique code and component code are two of the most-asked-about labels in PFMS, mostly because they show up on forms long before anyone explains them. A school management committee filing expenditure, a university researcher submitting a bill and a block office booking a payment all run into them. In short, a unique code identifies who is involved: an agency, a beneficiary, an employee or a vendor. A component code identifies what the money is for within a scheme. Between them sits the scheme code, which identifies which scheme is paying. This guide explains each code, how they fit together and how to avoid the mistakes that cause rejected bills and mismatched accounts.
| Code | What it identifies | Who assigns it | Where you’ll see it |
| Unique Agency Code | A registered agency on PFMS | Chosen during agency registration | Agency login and registration records |
| PFMS Unique ID | A payee such as a beneficiary, vendor or employee | Generated by PFMS after validation | Payee records and payment files |
| GoI scheme code | A central scheme or budget line | PFMS master data | Sanction orders, reports, bills |
| State Linked Scheme code | A state’s version of a centrally sponsored scheme | Configured with the State Directorate of PFMS | State scheme set-up and SNA records |
| Component code | A specific activity or expense head within a scheme | Defined in the scheme’s PFMS set-up | Expenditure entries, bills, utilisation records |
| DBT Mission code | A scheme as listed for DBT reporting | DBT framework | DBT reporting and integration |
| LGD code | A village, block, district or local body | Local Government Directory | Location fields in scheme and payee data |
Unique Codes: Identifying Who Is Involved
PFMS gives every party in a transaction a code that stays the same across schemes and years.
Unique Agency Code. Every registered agency has one, entered at registration and used as the agency’s login ID. Once set, it ties all of the agency’s schemes, bank accounts and transactions together.
PFMS Unique ID. Beneficiaries, vendors and employees are given a PFMS Unique ID after their bank account is validated. The same person or firm keeps that ID when paid by different offices, which helps PFMS spot duplicates and track payments to one payee across schemes.
Both codes exist for the same reason: a name can be spelled ten ways, but a code is either right or wrong.
Scheme Codes: The Number Behind Every Scheme
Every central scheme or budget line on PFMS has a Government of India scheme code, typically a four-digit number. A few examples from PFMS’s scheme list:
| Scheme code | Scheme or budget line |
| 0150 | Biotechnology Research and Development |
| 0875 | University Grants Commission |
| 3268 | PM Research Fellowship |
| 3350 | Unnat Bharat Abhiyan |
| 3921 | Indian Knowledge Systems |
| 4001 | Deep Ocean Mission |
States add another layer for centrally sponsored schemes. Each state’s version of such a scheme is set up as a State Linked Scheme with its own code, its Single Nodal Agency and the hierarchy of implementing agencies below it. The State Nodal Agency approaches the State Directorate of PFMS with these details, including scheme codes and bank accounts, to configure the scheme on the portal.
Scheme codes are listed in sanction letters, PFMS reports and, for central schemes, in lists that can be downloaded from the PFMS portal.
Component Codes: Where Each Rupee Is Spent
A scheme rarely spends money on just one thing. Samagra Shiksha, for instance, funds school grants, sports, teacher support, special needs provisions and much more. Components split a scheme into these activities so that spending can be recorded and monitored head by head.
Component codes are often hierarchical. Samagra Shiksha’s set-up, as used by schools and resource centres, shows how layers stack:
| Level | Example code | Meaning |
| Intervention | F.01 | Elementary Education |
| Component | F.01.18 | Composite School Grant (Elementary) |
| Component | F.01.29 | Sports and Physical Education (Elementary) |
| Sub-intervention | F.01.23 | Academic support through BRC, URC and CRC |
| Component | F.01.23.01 | Provision for BRCs and URCs |
| Intervention | F.03 | Secondary Education |
| Component | F.03.12.01 | Annual grant for secondary schools |
Reading the code from left to right tells you which part of the scheme you’re in. “F.01.18” sits inside elementary education and refers to the composite school grant.
How Components Work in Expenditure Filing
Components matter most in the EAT module, where agencies record receipts, transfers, advances and expenditure. Identifying components is one of the steps an implementing agency completes before it starts filing expenditure, along with registration and hierarchy mapping.
When an agency enters its opening balance, it can do so component-wise, entering balances against each component, or in bulk, entering one balance against all components together. Every later expenditure entry is then booked against a component, which is what lets a scheme manager see how much has been spent on, say, sports grants versus composite grants across a district.
Scheme Code vs Component Code: A Common Mix-Up
Several websites publish “PFMS component code lists” that are actually lists of four-digit scheme codes. The two aren’t interchangeable:
- A scheme code tells PFMS which scheme or budget line the money comes from.
- A component code tells PFMS which activity within that scheme the money was spent on.
A quick test: if the code names a whole programme, like “Deep Ocean Mission,” it’s a scheme code. If it names a specific activity within a programme, like “Composite School Grant (Elementary),” it’s a component code.
Where These Codes Show Up in Daily Work
- Sanction orders quote the scheme code for the release.
- Bills in institutions often need the PFMS scheme number, component code and name, and the bank account mapped to the scheme, written clearly at the top. Universities running many funded projects ask researchers to do exactly this for faster processing.
- Expenditure entries in EAT are booked against components.
- Reports and utilisation records summarise spending by scheme and component.
- Payment files carry payees’ PFMS Unique IDs.
Other Codes You’ll Meet
When PFMS shares data with state systems, it passes along several master lists through APIs, including scheme codes, scheme definitions, scheme hierarchy and components, as well as:
- Agency codes for the State Nodal Agency and all its implementing agencies
- LGD codes from the Local Government Directory for villages, blocks and districts
- Payment purpose codes, describing why a payment was made
- DBT Mission codes for schemes reported under DBT
- PFMS bank and branch master data
You won’t type most of these yourself, but they explain why location, purpose and bank fields often appear as dropdowns rather than free text.
Getting Codes Right: Practical Tips
- Take codes from official sources. Use your sanction letter, the PFMS portal or your state PFMS team, not lists copied on random websites.
- Check the financial year. Component lists can be revised for a new year, so confirm you’re using the current set.
- Book expenditure against the right component. Spending recorded under the wrong component can create mismatches in utilisation and draw audit questions later.
- Keep a one-page code sheet. Note your agency code, scheme codes, the components you use most and mapped bank accounts. It saves time for everyone in the office.
- Ask before guessing. If a component you need doesn’t appear, the scheme may not be configured for it yet. Your state PFMS team or scheme manager can confirm.
FAQs
Q. What is a unique code in PFMS?
It’s an identifier for a party in PFMS, such as the Unique Agency Code for agencies or the PFMS Unique ID for beneficiaries, vendors and employees.
Q. What is a component code in PFMS?
A component code identifies a specific activity or expense head within a scheme, used when booking expenditure.
Q. What is the difference between scheme code and component code?
A scheme code identifies which scheme pays, while a component code identifies what the money was spent on within that scheme.
Q. How many digits does a PFMS scheme code have?
Central scheme codes on PFMS are typically four-digit numbers, such as 0875 for the University Grants Commission.
Q. Where can I find my scheme’s component codes?
Check your sanction letter, the scheme’s PFMS set-up or ask your state PFMS team or scheme manager.
Q. What happens if expenditure is booked under the wrong component?
It can cause mismatches in utilisation records and may lead to audit questions, so correct it promptly.
Q. What is component-wise and bulk entry in the EAT module?
Component-wise entry records balances against each component, while bulk entry records one balance against all components together.
Q. What is a State Linked Scheme code?
It’s the code for a state’s version of a centrally sponsored scheme, configured with the State Directorate of PFMS.
