To ensure the audit reports remain relevant to the financial year, the annual audit reports will be published in November from this year on. The report will then be tabled in the winter sitting of the Parliament. This means the annual report will now come seven months ahead of the current practice.
The annual audit reports, which are based on the calendar year, are tabled in the summer sitting of the Parliament. But it is discussed during the winter sitting, losing two years in the process.
Auditor-General Tashi says the 2019-2020 financial statement will be submitted to the Parliament in 2021 which they will discuss during the 2021-2022 financial year, which is a lapse of almost two years. “By the time it is discussed in the Parliament, some people would have resigned, some would have died or transferred. So, the relevancy is not there,” he said.
At a recent press conference, the auditor general said publishing the annual audit reports a few months after a financial year ends will keep a check on the audit authority itself.
“This requirement for us to submit our annual report to the Parliament for tabling derives from the constitution and the Audit Act. So, it is appropriate to submit our annual audit report on the 11th of November every year. Now, with ICTisation, so many things are happening online, including the introduction of ePEMS by the Ministry of Finance. We have to take advantage of all those,” he added.
He also said the Ministry of Finance will give the annual financial statement latest by August as requested by the Royal Audit Authority.
Meanwhile, with the annual audit reports finding several irregularities with irrigation schemes across the country, the RAA will soon publish a performance audit report on irrigation schemes.
Sherub Dorji, BBS News
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
