Recovery

Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - Abbotabad—Public Accounts Committee of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has ordered recovery of an amount of Rs.33.774 million from the officers of Agriculture Department who caused the losses to the national exchequer. The committee also directed inquiry into the loss of another amount of Rs.33.892 million which was allegedly spent by the officials of agriculture department in violation of the prescribed rules and procedures. The meeting of the PAC with its chairman Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Karamatullah Khan in the chair was held in Abbotabad. The meeting held the Directorate General (Development and Extension) offices of the Provincial Livestock and Dairy Development Department (LS&DD) as well as Agriculture University, Peshawar, responsible for irregularities in spending of Rs.55.458 million for purchase of cattles, feed and medicines, power generators, machinery, equipment and furniture.The irregularities were identified by the office of the Director General Audit in its different audit reports during financial year 2006-07 to 2010-11. Reviewing as many as 15 audit objections against LS&DD the committee expressed great concern over ignoring the rules and procedures for utilization of the huge amount of public exchequer and found that negligence on part of certain officials also caused purchase of machinery carrying below specification and damage of certain procured equipment as well. The Speaker referred the two audit objection about purchase and use of such machinery.