The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) presented its review report on the Annual Audit Report to the Parliament today. The committee reviewed on five performance audit reports of revenue collection and management in Thromdes, in-country travels, core banking solutions in Bank of Bhutan (BoB), operation of Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and preparedness for implementation of Sustainable Development Goals.
The Committee examined and assessed these reports and made its recommendations.
Upon further reviewing the performance audit report on revenue collections and management in four thromdes, the committee found that there is fluctuation in the revenue collection by thromdes. The committee found that Thimphu and Gelegphu Thromde’s revenue collection decreased in the 2016-17 financial year as compared to the previous year.
The Committee also found that huge amount of revenues were lost due to inadequate administration and management of government land by thromdes. Therefore, the committee recommended on the need to recover and deposit the foregone revenue from the concerned entities by the thromdes latest by March next year.
Moreover, the committee proposed the finance ministry and the thromdes to formulate a grant phase-out plan by September this year as they depend on the government’s grants. The committee, on the other hand, found that Phuentsholing and Gelegphu thromdes did not submit their Management Action Plan despite repeated reminders. On this, the Royal Audit Authority (RAA) did not take any measure such as fixing of accountability.
The committee recommended RAA to come up with clear procedures of fixing accountability on the lapses regarding the performance auditing reports latest by September this year.
The committee also recommended that it is not necessary to produce a vehicle registration document while claiming mileage. The members in the joint sitting passed all the recommendations made by the committee.
In addition, the members also passed the committee’s recommendation for the government to sign the Annual Performance Agreement (APA) with BCCI while providing grants. This is in line with BCCI not been able to tap its revenue potential.
The parliament will continue the deliberation on the review report of the performance audit report coming Monday.
