It is necessary to reduce arrears to maintain financial discipline: Speaker Ghimire

Kathmandu, June 29: Emphasis has been laid that constitutional bodies, three-tier governments and public organisations should conduct regular audits and maintain financial discipline by reducing arrears.     

Similarly, it was stressed that clearance of arrears should be kept in priority in order to maintain financial discipline.     

At a programme organised here today on the occasion of 67th anniversary of the Office of the Auditor General, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, shared that the Office of the Auditor General has been playing significant role for frugality, efficiency and effectiveness in government bodies.     

He also asked the bodies concerned to be more serious for the utilization of public means and resources and maintain financial discipline through audit.     

"All bodies should conduct their performance responsibly, take necessary efforts for capacity building of employees and awareness, to maintain institutional good governance as well as suggestions of the Office of the Auditor Generals should be implemented effectively in order to reduce arrears," Speaker Ghimire mentioned.     

Similarly, President of Public Accounts Committee, Rishikesh Pokharel pointed out the need of maintaining discipline in the use of public resources.     

He added, "The PAC alone could not resolve arrears problems. All concerned offices should be responsible for the same."     

Arrears audit, risk-based auditing, performance and special audits, environmental audit, IT audit, and auditing of organized institutions, are among the key focus areas of the Office of the Auditor General (OAG). An annual audit calendar has been published to guide these activities.     

According to the 62nd Annual Report (2082 BS) of the OAG, the total arrears of government offices and institutions at the federal, provincial, and local levels have exceeded Rs 733 billion. This represents a 9.45 percent increase in periodic arrears compared to the previous fiscal year.     

In addition, arrears comprising additional audit arrears, revenue arrears, and recoverable foreign grants and loans amount to Rs 551 billion. This brings the total outstanding arrears to Rs 1.284 trillion.     

On this occasion, Mahabharat Rural Municipality of Kavrepalanchok district was honored for successfully maintaining zero arrears.(RSS)