Sindh government officials apathetic toward audit objections
KARACHI: The Sindh Finance Department has taken note of indifferent attitude of officials toward audit reports and their apathy to reminders issued from the department asking them to expedite compliance of audit objections.
Finance department officials said that the ‘most disobedient departments’ include forest and wildlife, fisheries, agriculture, health, works and power and irrigation departments. However, the conduct of other departments is no better but they are at least responsive to queries.
They said that funds released for development projects usually remain unexplained and improperly recorded in their reports which adversely affect release of funds from the donors whose condition for release of funds is
proper reconciliation of expenditure and proper submission of implementation status of projects.
To facilitate submission of progress report the donors have designed forms and it is only filling the blanks needed to complete the required formality for the release of funds. These forms are to be accompanied with proper receipts and tender documents.
The finance department officials said that the Sindh auditor general of accounts had repeatedly been informing the finance department about the careless attitude of different departments but in vain.
They said that the wildlife and forest department is reported to have misused funds amounting to more than Rs 350 million released to it over a period of time for the improvement of forest department, carrying out aggressive forestry campaign and grassroots training of its staff.
Similarly, there are reports about illegal clearance of forestÂlands and selling forest blocks to favourites without proper tenderÂing of auction.
The officials said that the wildlife and forest department has always been under the control of politicians OY unclean record. “These unscrupulous politicians manage to get officers of their choice to connive with them in their questionable decision.
The finance department is working on a summary to be submitted to the chief minister brief him on the overall irresponsible attitude of different departmental heads and a policy guidelines to streamline financial accounting in the province.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:2/3/2007
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