Balochistan: Revelation of Rs12.11 Billion Irregular Expenditures in Communications and Works Department
Rs3.24 Billion Funds Lapsed; Questions Over Heavy Salaries and Vehicles of Project Directors; PAC Orders 100 Percent Recovery Within 10 Days
QUETTA (Daily Qudrat): In a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Balochistan Assembly, a detailed review of audit paras of the Communications and Works (C&W) Department for fiscal year 2023-24 was conducted, during which a shocking revelation of irregular expenditures worth more than Rs12.11 billion in the department was made. The committee, expressing severe anger and concern over the financial irregularities of such a large amount, has sought a formal explanation and all relevant records from the department.
The meeting, held under the chairmanship of Committee Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen in the new committee room of the Balochistan Assembly, was attended by committee members Wali Muhammad Norzai, Rahmat Saleh Baloch, Zamrak Khan Achakzai, Fazal Qadir Mandokhail, Mir Muhammad Khan Lehri, Ghulam Dostagir Badini, Director General Audit Shuja Ali, Additional Accountant General Balochistan Noor-ul-Haq, Secretary Communications and Works Babar Khan and other relevant officials.
The meeting reviewed in detail more than Rs44.42 billion allocated to the Communications and Works Department under development and non-development heads during fiscal year 2022-23 and expenditures of more than Rs41.18 billion out of it. The audit report pointed out that more than Rs3.24 billion of the department’s funds lapsed due to incompetence and failure to utilise them in time. Committee members issued strict directions that unutilised funds should have been surrendered in time so that this huge amount could be spent on other public and development projects of the province.
PAC Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen remarked that it is extremely worrying that irregular expenditures of more than Rs12 billion by C&W came to light in just one fiscal year, which has exposed the department’s performance and financial discipline.
The meeting also expressed serious reservations over the procedure for the appointment of Project Directors (PDs). The committee chairman said that when the relevant government departments and engineers already exist, what is the justification for appointing separate Project Directors for development projects? The committee sought a detailed report on all projects run under PDs.
Committee member Mir Muhammad Khan Lehri took the position that the responsibility for projects started through the Planning and Development and C&W should be given directly to the relevant departments, because incomplete projects ultimately fall to these very departments, which makes the usefulness of appointing PDs doubtful. The committee pointed out that after the appointment of Project Directors, the purchase of new government vehicles, extraordinary salaries and recruitment of additional staff place an additional burden on the national exchequer, therefore the complete record of all unnecessary appointments, vehicle purchases and expenditures should be presented.
During the meeting, reviewing audit para 4.2.1, it was stated that due to overpayments to contractors at rates higher than the approved schedule rates and errors in measurement calculations in various building divisions during fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23, excess payments of Rs90.341 million were made. The committee directed the relevant authorities to present the complete record and ensure 100 percent recovery of the loss caused to the national exchequer.
Similarly, under audit para 4.2.2, alleged irregularities of Rs40.414 million came to light by showing work in excess of the quantity mentioned in the approved PC-1, estimates and contracts, on which the PAC issued final directions to the relevant officers to ensure 100 percent recovery of this amount within 10 days.
The committee also ordered a special audit of the Kachhi Plain Water Supply Scheme and the Balochistan Livelihoods and Entrepreneurship Project (BLEP), including development projects of Nasirabad, Nushki, Zhob and other districts. Deferring further action on the remaining audit paras due to the department’s failure to present the complete record, the next meeting was called on 30 November.
