PAC hopes to clear backlog by this year

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Jatiya Sangsad has stepped up efforts to clear a huge backlog of unresolved audit reports piled up since fiscal year 1972-73 by disposing of the objections to those within this year, committee members said.
Four sub-committees formed by the PAC in May last year has started submitting their recommendations for disposal of the audit objections made from FY 1972-73 to 2005-06.
On scrutiny of the objections at a series of meetings, the sub-committees are recommending realising the money from people responsible for the financial damage caused, or settling the objections, committee officials said.
“It is possible to get rid of the backlog of audit reports this year if we can work properly,” Ali Ashraf, who heads a sub-committee, told this correspondent yesterday.
Since 1972-73, around 1,000 audit reports involving thousands of crore taka were placed before parliament. But only 206 reports were discussed till expiry of tenure of the last eighth parliament.
In another development, the PAC yesterday decided to meet almost every working day to expedite disposal of the unresolved objections till FY 2005-2006 so that it can scrutinise audit on recent expenditures.
“We asked the office of comptroller and auditor general (CAG) to update audit reports as far as possible. We want to examine recent expenditures of public money,” PAC Chairman Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir said, when contacted after its meeting yesterday.
The office of CAG is yet to furnish reports after FY-2005-06.
“We observed that the reports are mostly superficial lacking substantial information. So, we asked the CAG to compile reports primarily based on performance of various ministries and government departments,” the committee chief said.
The PAC yesterday asked the office of CAG to inform it in 15 days about compliance of recommendations of the sub-committees.
The sub-committee No-1 is dealing with unresolved audit reports from 1972 to 1990. It has recommended disposal of 734 objections out of 1,417 concerning different ministries.
The sub-committee No-4 has taken up audit reports placed in parliament after 2005. It discussed 116 audit objections, and asked for disposal of 27 and realisation of money in case of 13 objections. It also asked for necessary steps on 32 objections.
The sub-committee No-3 is handling audit reports placed in parliament from 2000 to 2005. It has already discussed 26 objections, and recommended disposal of 12, realisation of money in four cases and necessary actions regarding 11 objections.
The sub-committee No-2 is examining audit reports from 1990 to 2000. It has discussed 21 objections, recommended disposing seven of those and taking necessary steps on the rest.
At yesterday's meeting, the PAC discussed special audit reports on Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority for FY 2005-06.
“We found about Tk 18 crore loss of Desa. Desa employees, their supervising personnel, the then minister and secretary of the ministry concerned are responsible for the loss. We asked the administration to recover the money from responsible persons,” the committee chief said.