MPs Urge Public Accounts Committee to Act on Financial Irregularities

Kathmandu. Lawmakers have suggested the Public Accounts Committee become active in maintaining financial discipline. In the committee meeting held on Tuesday, lawmakers demanded that the committee expedite effective investigations into the settlement of irregularities, the passport purchase scandal, and issues of public concern.

Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, a lawmaker from the CPN (Maoist Centre), emphasized that the committee's first priority should be the settlement of irregularities. He urged the formation of a clear work schedule to settle irregularities within one to two weeks. He stated that the committee should abandon the judicial style of working only after receiving complaints. "The most urgent task right now is the settlement of irregularities, which should be done as quickly as possible," Shahi said. "It should not be like judicial work where discussions happen only after receiving complaints. We must also bring the issues we observe into the scope of investigation immediately."

Janakraj Giri, a lawmaker from the Nepali Congress, pointed out the need for a serious discussion on issues related to passport printing. Warning that the country would face serious problems if printing is stopped for any reason, he said that the 71 crore rupees loss incurred in this matter should be discussed in the committee.

Similarly, Vikram Thapa, a lawmaker from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), said that the corruption case involving approximately 10 billion 13 crore rupees in the e-passport purchase should be taken seriously. "The dispute seen in the e-passport purchase and the corruption case filed involving approximately 10 billion 13 crore rupees is a serious matter," he said. "The committee must be serious about whether the procurement process and technical evaluation were impartial, and whether there was unnecessary interference in the decision-making process."

Ganesh Singh Thagunna, a lawmaker from the CPN-UML, commented that the activities of the Public Accounts Committee have been slow. He stated that the committee should be made more active and expedite regular meetings, settlement of irregularities, and investigations into received complaints. He added that important issues falling within the committee's scope should be effectively investigated and recommended for action by forming sub-committees as needed.

Likewise, another RSP lawmaker, Ganesh Parajuli, drew the committee's attention to the Auditor General's office showing the remuneration of 480 contract teaching assistants at Tribhuvan University as irregular. He stated that it is not just to recover the amount from employees who have earned their salary, leaving aside the bodies that made decisions without following procedures. "There is an intention to recover the amount from employees who have earned their wages; the committee must work on justice and reform in such matters," Parajuli said.

The meeting also discussed the formation of a sub-committee for irregularity discussions and the approval of internal working procedures. The Public Accounts Committee is preparing to form five sub-committees: economic governance, state security, physical infrastructure, economic production, and social justice. However, the formation of sub-committees could not take place in Tuesday's meeting as the parties could not agree on the selection of sub-committee conveners.