Army Chief Prioritizes Clearing Audit Discrepancies

Kathmandu. Chief of Army Staff Ashokraj Sigdel has stated that prioritizing the search for old evidence and procedural settlement of audit discrepancies within the Nepali Army is a priority. Speaking in the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee, Sigdel claimed that they are systematically searching for evidence to reduce audit discrepancies and that good progress will be seen in the coming days. However, he admitted that not much audit discrepancy has been settled for now. The army had set a target to clear 60 percent of the total audit discrepancies this year. But, so far, only 11 percent progress has been made, and it will reach a maximum of 15 percent by the end of Asar, informed Chief of Army Staff Sigdel. He clarified that the large amount related to the Terai-Madhesh Fast Track is the main reason for the lack of progress as per the target. 'We had set a target to clear 60 percent of the audit discrepancies, but so far only 11 percent has been done, and by the end of Asar, we can do a maximum of 15 percent,' he said, 'The main reason for this is the 1.39 billion rupees of liquidated damage (LD) under Package 6 of the Fast Track, and I want to inform everyone that it is not in a state to be settled immediately.' According to Chief of Army Staff Sigdel, the army has completed all preparations to submit audit discrepancies worth 152.18 million rupees to the Office of the Auditor General for verification. This includes 41.169 million rupees for ammunition purchase, 18.991 million rupees for machinery spare parts, 76.96 million rupees to be settled after interest recovery from Laxmi Bank, and 15.06 million rupees for salary tax deduction. He stated that this amount will be submitted to the Auditor General immediately. Similarly, the army plans to send audit discrepancies of various titles of the Samardali Department, which need to be regularized through the Ministry of Defense, amounting to 21.33 million rupees by the end of Asar. The army is also working on settling audit discrepancies related to the Soldiers' Welfare Fund. Out of a total of 334.377 million rupees in audit discrepancies for the fund, only about 2 percent, or 6.548 million rupees, has been settled so far. Out of the 202.175 million rupees in audit discrepancies of the Nepali Army Charter Flight Development Committee under the fund, the target is to settle 93.7 million rupees by Asar. Among the audit discrepancies of the Charter Flight Committee, 101.165 million rupees is advance, 17.88 million rupees requires submission of regular evidence, and 83.352 million rupees is in the category to be recovered. Similarly, out of another 123.634 million rupees in audit discrepancies for the fund, 67.98 million rupees will be settled by this Asar, Sigdel informed the committee. This amount includes 566,000 rupees as advance, 38.644 million rupees requires submission of regular evidence, and 90.75 million rupees is in the category to be recovered. Sigdel stated that since many audit discrepancies in the Welfare Fund date back to the establishment of the fund in 2032 BS, it is very difficult to recover and gather documents. Although it is difficult to find evidence as old audit discrepancies have been carried forward for years, the army is continuously making efforts, he said. 'Even though many audit discrepancies are old, we are searching for evidence,' he said, 'As much as possible, we can settle 50.16 percent of the audit discrepancies in the Welfare Fund by the end of Asar this year.'