Of the total Nu 1.02B, irregularities worth Nu 708M from 2016 remains unresolved.

The annual audit report 2016 was presented to the Parliament in October last year. Having reviewed the observation, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) submitted a review report to the joint sitting yesterday.

About 31 percent of the total irregularities were resolved.

The ministries have highest recovery amounting to Nu 87M, leaving behind unresolved irregularities of Nu 72M.

The chairperson of the committee, Karma Tenzin, said that the committee noted that shortfalls, lapses and deficiencies constituted the highest unresolved irregularities with Nu 131M, followed by violation of laws and rules and mismanagement with Nu 92M and Nu 37M respectively.

The PAC report pointed out that works and human settlement ministry has the highest irregularities amounting to Nu 45M, followed by labour ministry with Nu 7.5 M.

The unresolved irregularities of the ministry are related to overdue outstanding advances against regional offices of department of roads in Lingmethang, Zhemgang, and Trashigang. The ministry had also incurred wasteful expenditure of Nu 3.7M in the Netherlands-funded project “Poverty Alleviation Through Road Development in Southern Bhutan” by continuing to pay remunerations for four engineers. Lapses were also observed in the online tendering process while procuring bitumen emulsion worth Nu 175M by DoR, Phuentsholing.

Irregularities in the labour ministry pertain to illegal collection of fees and non-refund by one overseas employment agent. The ministry filed a criminal case against the proprietor but could not initiate the court proceedings as the proprietor’s whereabouts is not known.

Agriculture ministry has an unresolved irregularities of Nu 3.7M related to outstanding advances, non-reconciled fund, excess payment for construction of eco-lodge in Laya. While there is also a case of forged bank guarantee in lieu of performance security, the case has been forwarded to Anti-Corruption Commission.

Among the dzongkhags, Trashiyantse has the highest irregularities with Nu 20M. Market access and growth intensification project had booked expenditure of Nu 0.87M as closed work in the construction of irrigation pump scheme without completing the works and deposited Nu 18.2M as final expenditure.

Langchenphug gewog has the highest irregularities among the gewogs. This is due to lapses in utilisation of GDG fund amounting to Nu 0.4M.

While the RICBL has overdue advances amounting to Nu 19M payable to clients on account of motor, fire and other insurance policies, BDBL had not taken legal actions against 490 cases of defaulted loan accounts from 1991 to 2015. This amounts to Nu 671M.

The PAC has also review the joint audit report on hydropower. It was pointed out that Nu 198M worth of irregularities, which is 31 percent of the total irregularities, has been resolved.

The committee also presented review report on two performance audit and follow up on the implementation status of the 8th, 9th and 10th session resolutions of the Parliament.

The deliberation will continue today.

Tshering Dorji

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