Kathmandu, June 29

Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun Friday said that transparent audit was essential to maintain financial discipline and ensure good governance in the country.

Addressing a function orgnanised on the occasion of the 54th anniversary of the Office of the Auditor General in the capital, Finance Minister Pun stressed the need of transparent auditing to reduce the arrears as well as strengthening the economic and financial administration in the country.

Stating that the arrears of the government were increasing every year, he said that the increment of the government expenditure and arrears were not good indicators of the country’s economy.

He said that it was necessary to reduce the arrears of the government expenditure for enhancing people’s trust in the government.

He urged the auditors to keep transparent audit for maintaining economic and financial discipline and reducing the arrears.

He said, "Increasing arrears is not good sign."

Mentioning that the performance of the office of the Auditors General was improving every year, he however said that he was expecting further improvement in its performance, especially in transparent audit of the government expenditures.

He said that the Ministry of Finance would continue its incentives packages for the auditors for enhancing their performances.

He committed to provide training to the auditors both in home and abroad to enhance their performance.

Khem Prasad Dahal, acting Auditor General, said that the auditors should be committed to keeping qualitative and transparent audits as well as delivering the report in time.

He said, "The auditors need to protect the public funds and control the arrears of the government expenditures through transparent auditing."

He also pointed out the need of improving their capacities by applying modern and advanced audit procedures to maintain good financial administration.

Bimala Subedi, deputy Auditor General, said that they would follow the‘Risked based approach’ for keeping audits in the days to come.

Mentioning that the government had provided 100 per cent allowance of their salaries on the basis of work performance to the staffs from this fiscal year, she said that this scheme would help enhance their work performance.

She urged the government to appoint the Auditor General as soon as possible. The post of the Auditor General has remained vacant for the last six years.

She committed to submitting the audit report to the government in time.