LAHORE, Jan 19: A special audit conducted on the order of the Punjab chief minister has detected Rs76.93 million financial irregularities committed by the first Rahim Yar Khan District Government.
The audit was conducted under the supervision of the Punjab Local Government Commission, which had in its last meeting asked the former district nazim to explain his position.
Covering period from August 2001 to June 2005, the audit was conducted by three teams, which checked financial records of various departments of the district government.
The teams were headed by Additional Director General (Inspection) Safer Iqbal Ahmad, Bahawalpur Local Fund Audit director Iftikharuddin and Faisalabad Local Fund Audit director Manzoor Ahmad Khadim.
According to the audit report submitted in the last meeting of the commission, apart from huge financial irregularities, the district nazim had failed to discharge his responsibilities under the local government ordinance.
It recommended that the DCO might be asked to start recovery of the financial losses from all the concerned. It also pointed out numerous administrative and procedural lapses committed by functionaries of the district government.
The total Rs76.936 million irregularities showed Rs803,425 embezzlement, Rs1.62 million losses, Rs23.52 million excess payment, Rs33.34 million irregular payment and Rs3.05 million short recoveries.
The audit of the road department showed a total of Rs29.26 irregularities — Rs17.06 excess payment, Rs2.34 million utilisation of contingencies, Rs6.88 loss due to non-imposition of penalty in the time-limit execution, Rs2.97 short recovery and Rs7,317 embezzlement.
The total irregularities pointed out in the buildings department amounted to Rs33.80 million — Rs3.1 million excess payment, Rs518,700 penalties, Rs11,241 non-deduction and Rs890,224 losses.
The audit found Rs9.77 million irregularities in the agriculture, community development, information technology and education departments. This included Rs158,321 embezzlement, Rs7.90 million losses, Rs1.62 million excess payment and Rs86,32 short recovery.
The health department record showed Rs2.81 irregularities, — Rs562,890 embezzlement, Rs1.44 million irregular payment and Rs807,483 excess payment.
The DCO office record showed irregularities to the tune of Rs8.86 million — Rs182,360 misappropriation, Rs8.60 irregular payment and Rs721,02 excess payment.
Irregularities of Rs18.76 million were detected in the files of the EDO (Revenue), which included Rs56,324 embezzlement, Rs1.86 million irregular payment and Rs33,111 excess payment.
The record of the EDO (Literacy) showed irregularities of Rs4.40 million — Rs18,573 embezzlement and Rs4.38 irregular payment.