The Royal Audit Authority found irregularities worth almost Nu 3bn in the financial year 2022-2023. According to the RAA’s latest annual audit report, the irregularities are a drop of more than Nu 4.5bn from the previous financial year.
The audit findings are reported under three broad categories of fraud and corruption, non-compliance to laws, rules and regulations, and shortfalls, lapses, and deficiencies.
The fraud and corruption category cases accounted for almost Nu 40 M.
The report shows that the Directorate of Services under the former Ministry of Information and Communication had the highest amount of irregularities at almost Nu 13 M.
Followed by more than Nu 9 M worth of irregularities with the Dagan District Administration and almost Nu 6 M with the Royal Bhutan Police.
The remaining irregularities in the fraud and corruption category were mostly with the district administrations.
At more than Nu 2.2bn, the non-compliance to laws, rules, and regulations category, accounted for almost 80 per cent of the total irregularities.
Almost Nu 900 M worth of irregularities was found with the Punatshangchu Hydroelectric Project-II followed by the Phuentshogling Township Development Project with Nu 450 M of irregularities.
The report also showed over Nu 300 M of irregularities with the Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority.
The Department of Air Transport has almost Nu 130 M worth of irregularities while district administrations of Trongsa, Trashigang, Samtse, and Paro accounted for over Nu 120 M in irregularities due to non-compliance with laws, rules, and regulations.
The irregularities under the shortfalls, lapses, and deficiencies category amount to more than Nu 500 M.
The Druk Holding and Investments has irregularities of almost Nu 150 M in shortfalls, lapses, and deficiencies followed by the Punatshangchu Hydroelectric Project-II with more than Nu 130 M.
Distict administrations of Samtse, Zhemgang, and Lhuentse, Gelephu Thromde, Kholongchu Hydro Energy Limited, Phuentshogling General Hospital, Drugyal Dzong Conservation Project, and the Phuentshogling Township Project accounted for almost Nu 150 M of irregularities in the shortfalls, lapses, and deficiencies category.
According to the Royal Audit Authority, the Annual Audit Report 2022-2023 was compiled from almost 400 audit reports.
Deki Lhazom
Edited by Sherub Dorji
