Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
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PROVINCIAL ASSEMBLY OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PRELIMINARY REPORT OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE ON THE ACCOUNTS OF GOVERNMENT OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA FOR THE YEAR 2014-15 CHAIRS FOREWORD The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has a key role in exercising scrutiny over the execution of Budget that the legislatures approve and to assure that funds appropriated by the Assembly have been spent legally and as the Assembly intended. To achieve this goal and to have strong financial mechanism in the Departments, the PAC has played a very important role by giving guidance and recommendations from time to time. However it was noted that most of the Departments do not observe the financial discipline in its true spirit resultantly financial irregularities crop up, the Departments are therefore required to strictly adhere to the recommendations of PAC. The Report of Auditor General of Pakistan for the year 2014-15 was referred to the earlier PAC and it examined 22 Draft Paras out of 198 in two sittings. The present Public Accounts Committee has examined 91 Draft Paras out of remaining 176 in 5 sittings. The Committee has performed its job; however, the efforts of the Committee and Audit will be fruitless until its recommendations are implemented in its true spirit by the Administrative Departments. If the recommendations of PAC are not implemented, the whole process of Audit and financial oversight would not be more than a futile exercise. During examination of the Audit Report it was noticed that DAC which was constituted to facilitate the job of PAC i.e. to resolve the petty issues and refer material nature Paras to the PAC, was not working properly, neither its meetings are held in time nor its recommendations are implemented resultantly the job of PAC instead of reducing is increasing. Internal Audit is the key tool to prevent financial irregularities at the gross root level and its importance could not be ignored as it plays a vital role in management to improve performance, prevent losses, control mismanagement of public money and safeguard government assets. Being a requirement; it should be carried out regularly by each Department so that irregularities could be pointed out at an earlier stage and reduced if not avoided completely. I extend my thanks to those Members of PAC who regularly participated in the meetings throughout the series, officers of the Administrative Departments & Auditor General’s office, the representatives of Law and Finance Departments for their support in accomplishing the difficult and challenging assignment. I especially extend my commendations to the officers and staff of the PAC Cell for their support, facilitation, guidance to the Committee, untiring efforts in arranging meetings and compiling the data in this book form. -Sd- (MUSHTAQ AHMAD GHANI) Speaker/Chairman Public Accounts Committee P R E F A C E The Report of the Auditor General of Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the accounts of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province for the year 2014-15 comprising the Audit Report, Appropriation Accounts, Financial Statements, Audit Report on Revenue Receipts and Audit Report on Public Sector Enterprises. The Assembly referred it to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for detailed examination on 15-06-2017. The PAC examined the Audit Report in series of meetings spanning over seven (07) sittings held in the Conference Room of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In this Report the Audit Paras/observations pertaining to each Department of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are arranged separately. Tables showing details of total Paras and recommendations of PAC thereon have also been added for ready reference. The drafting and preparation of this report has been made possible due to the determined hard work of the officers and staff of the PAC Cell. Besides, keep trying to arrange Tfrequent meetings and timely compilation of this Report, I deeply acknowledge the active services of Mr. Amjad Ali, Additional Secretary for giving briefing to the Members. His sincere and devoted endeavours deserve appreciation and commendation. This report of PAC is presented to the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Rule 161 of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules, 1988. -Sd- (NASRULLAH KHAN KHATTAK) Secretary, Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE TABLE OF CONTENTS S.No. Department Date of meeting Page No. 1. Introduction i-vii Audit Report 2. Agriculture, Livestock and 16-10-2017 1-29 Cooperation 3. Irrigation 17-10-2017 30-39 4. Food 03-12-2018 40-57 5. Health 04-12-2018 & 58-95 05-12-2018 6. 05-12-2018 96-114 Energy & Power 7. Industries 05-12-2018 115-127 8. Housing 05-12-2018 128-137 9. Science and Technology 05-12-2018 138-144 10. Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement 05-12-2018 145-154 11. Higher Education, Archives and 10-12-2018 155-182 Libraries INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION The annual report of the Auditor General of Pakistan on the Accounts of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the year 2014-15, received in the Assembly Secretariat on 19-05-2017, was laid before the house in pursuance of Article 171 of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 15-06-2017 under rule 198 of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules, 1988. The House referred it to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the same day for detailed examination. 2. The earlier PAC started examination of this report but was able to examine Audit paras pertaining to Agriculture and Irrigation Departments in its two sittings held on 16-10-2017 & 17-10-2017 in the Conference Room of the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 3. The current PAC was constituted on 16-11-2018 soon after its constitution, it decided to examine the Report of the Auditor General of Pakistan on the Accounts of Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the year 2014-15. Five sittings were held on 03-12-2018, 04-12-2018, 05-12-2018, 06-12-2018 and 10-12-2018. 4. The PAC examined ninety one (91) Audit paras pertaining to the Food, Health, Energy & Power, Industries, Housing, Science and Technology, Relief, Rehabilitation & Settlement and Higher Education Departments. 5. The PAC while examining the Audit Report observed that no changes were made in the rules, practices and internal control systems during the year and similar nature irregularities of previous years were repeated. 6. During the course of examination of the Audit Report, internal controls were found lacking as a result the following short comings in the financial management system in most of the Provincial Government Departments were observed: Non-observance of canons of financial propriety and non-compliance of rules & regulations. Non- recovery of government dues. Overpayments in pay & allowances and to contractors. Loss to government due to negligence. Excess payments to suppliers/contractors. Irregular, unauthorized and unnecessary expenditure. Misuse of financial powers by the subordinate officials. Waste of funds due to un-necessary purchase of store etc. Retention of public money outside the government account. i 7. To overcome the above mentioned short comings, the Principal Accounting Officers should evaluate the existing internal controls and reinforce these controls in the offices and organization working under their control. For future guidance, they were asked to: Maintain accurate accounting records and make it available to auditors at the time of the audit. Non-production of record by any person or authority responsible should be dealt with strictly by initiating disciplinary action under relevant Efficiency and Disciplinary Rules, applicable to such person in terms of section 14(3) of the Auditor General’s (Functions, Powers, and Terms & Conditions of Service) Ordinance, 2001. Recover Government dues and timely deposit it in Government Treasury. Avoid keeping of public money outside the government account and prevent unnecessary drawl of funds. Prevent misuse of government assets. Timely investigate the cases of losses and take remedial measures. Regularly convene effective DAC and pre-PAC meetings and’ Implement directives of DAC & PAC in its true spirit. 8. In addition to the recommendations on each Draft Para, the PAC recommended the following for the improvement of financial management system in the Province. The PAOs should give full attention on the PAC directives and improve compliance by their respective departments. The PAOs should ensure production of auditable record to audit and in respect of cases of non production of record take disciplinary action under E&D Rules in terms of section 14(3) of Auditor General’s Ordinance, 2001. The PAOs should strengthen the internal control mechanism to prevent losses and repetition of similar nature of irregularities. The PAOs should ensure holding of DAC and Pre-PAC meetings regularly. PAOs should promptly investigate cases of embezzlements/ frauds. The departments should ensure adherence to the provisions of GFR, Procurement Rules and Government Instructions. Departments need to deposit the public money received by them in the Provincial Consolidated Fund and Public Account instead of depositing into unauthorized accounts in commercial banks. Instances of making payment by the departments or their autonomous bodies/authorities to employees in contravention of rules and in disregard of the employees, entitlement need to be ii checked by affecting recoveries where due and taking disciplinary action against the officials involved in overpayments. 9. The PAC examined 113 paras in its seven sittings and settled unconditionally forty eight (48) Paras, where the explanation of the Departments were found plausible or relevant records were produced and duly verified by the Audit, while in seventeen (17) Draft Paras, where the Government funds were provided to have been misappropriated or have been embezzlement, it recommended for affecting recovery after fixing responsibility on the culprits in pursuance of the relevant laws on the subject.