Tk 24,000cr audit objections remain unsettled
Half of them against communications ministry, says first PAC report
Staff Correspondent
Audit objections involving a staggering amount of Tk 24,000 crore remain unsettled and almost half of them came against the communications ministry, says the first report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of current parliament. The report says the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General raised a total of 799 audit objections against different ministries and divisions from 1972 to April 2004, but the PAC could discuss only 166 objections till April 2000. The PAC, tasked with disposing of audit objections, has realised only Tk 63.77 crore from 149 audit objections against 15 ministries and divisions. "Besides, the committee has directed the authorities to realise Tk 12,581 crore against audit objections against different ministries and divisions," says the PAC report placed in the House yesterday by its Chairman Advocate Harun Al Rashid. About the objections involving Tk 12,000 crore against the communications ministry, the secretary of the ministry claimed that the principal amount is only Tk 150 crore but it stood at Tk 12,000 crore with multiple interests since 1972. The PAC report contains a set of recommendations aiming to bring transparency in the expenditures in ministries and divisions. In the report, the committee asked the ministries to refrain from spending money without prior allocation in budget. The PAC, since its formation on May 12, 2003, held 37 meetings and is scheduled to hold 10 more meetings during the tenure of the current parliament. During the last parliament, the PAC held 1,043 meetings.
|
|
