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AG'S REPORT |
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AG'S REPORT |
Financial Administration In Mess The Auditor General's annual report points out massive irregularities in the government expenditure By A CORRESPONDENT Like in the earlier years, the Auditor General (AG) pointed out rampant violation of financial rules and regulations in his report of 1999\2000 fiscal year. According to the Auditor General's Report, total beruju or unsettled account (beruju) is more than 63 billion rupees including more than 13 billion rupees in government sectors. The unsettled amount of last year alone was more than 2 billion rupees. In total audit errors, more than 25 billion rupees is refundable by implementing existing provisions which includes 13.5 billion rupees as revenue due.
Among total beruju, revenue error is more than Rs 13. 5 billion. The amount of money is very high in comparison to other sectors. "I am not much worried about other beruju but increasing volume of revenue errors is a very serious matter," said Bishnu Bahadur K.C, Auditor General. One of the most dangerous symptoms shown in the report is growing lapses in revenue collections. The four cases in Supreme Court and 12 in Revenue Court are pending for long time. The industries have appealed to them rejecting the taxes leveled by tax department. Delay in the decision from the court has hampered revenue collection. Like last year, the financial irregularities continue to increase. If the government is unable to maintain the financial discipline the country will face serious problems. The situation in the corporation sector is quite awful as the government property is grossly misused by the officials. One former chief justice of Supreme Court took Rs 52,000 from the Supreme Court as fuel allowance. Three other retired chief justices got a vehicle each from the Supreme court. Former chief justices got the vehicles from the Home Ministry under a decision taken by the Council of Ministers in 2052\11\14. Likewise, seven justices of Supreme Court, 47 judges of Appellate Court and 25 judges of district court received the amount of 1.6 million rupees as wages for their house guards. Ministers' official quarter is yet to pay 2.9 million rupees as electricity bill due, 1.7 million rupees to Nepal Telecommunication Corporation and 3,60,000 rupees to Nepal Water Supply Corporation. Eleven vehicles of Sunsari-Morang Irrigation Project are yet to be returned. On the appointment of political advisors to ministers, the cabinet sanctioned more than 2,19,000 rupees. Vice-chairman of National Assembly collected 181,000 rupees as salaries for five of his staffs. About 72 MPs bagged for themselves 1.4 million rupees as monthly perks supposed to have been collected by their secretaries. In 25 government corporations, the members of the board were paid 2.7 million rupees as a remuneration for 651 board meetings. Hetauda Cement Factory has set a record by paying Rs 9,59,000 for 17 board meetings. The list goes on and on. The sad tale of irregularities and misappropriation are tragic reminder of the expanding tentacles of corruption. |
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