Rising arrears cause for concern: Speaker Ghimire

KATHMANDU: Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dev Raj Ghimire, expressed concern about the growing arrears in public offices.

During the 66th anniversary function of the Office of the Auditor General, Speaker Ghimire emphasized that responsible authorities within public agencies must address the issue of increasing arrears promptly. He urged them to implement the recommendations provided in the Auditor General's report, aiming to reduce arrears and maintain financial discipline and accountability.

Speaker Ghimire also highlighted the unsatisfactory performance of the account committee at the local level. He stressed that both the relevant authorities and accounting heads in public offices should recognize their responsibilities: preventing arrears from accumulating in the first place and expediting the clearance of existing arrears.

Furthermore, Speaker Ghimire called upon the Office of the Auditor General to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities.

According to the 61st report from the Office of the Auditor General, based on audits of all three-tier governments for the fiscal year 2022/23, over Rs 1.183 trillion in arrears remains outstanding.

Similarly, Rishikesh Pokharel, President of the Public Account Committee under the Federal Parliament, emphasized the crucial role played by the Office of the Attorney General in maintaining fiscal discipline and good governance. He advocated for a change in working style to achieve effective results and supported granting autonomy to the Office of the Auditor General in alignment with the federal structure.

Pokharel expressed disappointment that deliberations on the Auditor General's report had been delayed in parliamentary committees. Currently, discussions are underway regarding the 60th report in the Public Account Committee meeting.

He also called for penalties for public office employees perpetuating arrears.

Auditor General Toyam Raya pledged to enhance the audit system, focusing on refinement and effectiveness. He emphasized that parliamentary committees and parliaments could play a significant role in addressing the issues highlighted in his office's reports. The auditing process adheres to legal requirements and considers factors such as regularity, frugality, competence, effectiveness, and relevance.