Daily Times

KARACHI: The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) had consumed more than Rs 1.99 billion during the last fiscal year without pre-audit of bills on various expenditure heads, besides failing in maintaining budget control registers, pre-audit, liabilities, advances, transport and disturbance allowance registers, gratuity and provident fund ledgers.

The SCBA annual budget stands at around Rs 3.75 billion.

Officials of the finance and account departments of the SBCA had revealed that entity was also involved in irregular expenditures on almost every head of payment accounts without pre-audit of bills.

A spokesman for the SBCA had confirmed that audit team had left after doing its job and was not satisfied with the record of the entity.

In addition, office of the SCBA director general during audit and inspection for financial year-2016-17 had failed in providing access to auditable record to the audit team of Accountant General Pakistan for scrutiny and verification.

Sources said that the SCBA had failed to provide any documentary evidence regarding deduct/deposit of deducted income tax and sales tax amounting to Rs 6.10 million into government account. This resulted into short receipt of revenue.

Authority made payments to employees/vendors and suppliers and all other heads without pre-audit of bills from concerned accounts offices (Local Fund Audit) in violation of by-laws.

The amount incurred including Karachi that stands to Rs 792.8 million, Hyderabad to Rs 252.30 million, Mirpurkhas to Rs 915,750, Sukkur to Rs 37.60 million and Larkana to Rs 16.94 million.

Loss to government due to un-authorised payment of utility allowances amounting to Rs 4.99 million and loss on non-deduction/non-deposit of taxes amounting to Rs 6.99 million.

Authority incurred expenditure amounting to Rs 85.83 million on account of payment of utility allowances paid to officers/officials which was not admissible/entitlement to them, in violation of rules. This includes Karachi to Rs 66 million and Hyderabad to Rs 22 million.

The Authority also made irregular expenditure on improper maintenance of log books to Rs 17.66 million besides un-authorised expenditure on account of payment of special pay amounting to Rs 15.79 million and this includes offices of Karachi and Hyderabad.

SBCA has also been involved in awarding contracts to private parties on voucher for renovation of office building, procurement of computers/printers, electronic and auto parts and on other purchase of good heads. Authority incurred expenditure amounting to Rs 17.66 million on purchase of petroleum products, repair and maintenance of official vehicles but log books maintained by office found without record/details of meter reading of vehicles and signatures of authority and without preparation of proper log books in violation of rules.

Moreover, Authority incurred expenditure amounting to Rs 33.44 million on account of advance payment made to Regional Director, Hyderabad on account of betterment charges but failed to provide any documentary evidence regarding adjustment/return of advance, in violation of rules. Besides un-authorised expenditure by way of splitting work order avoiding invitation of tenders to Rs 8.47 million were also made.

Record/details regarding disciplinary cases pending/finalised against staff remained on weaker side in respect of reconciled expenditure, revenue statement, budget control register/appropriation register, GP fund ledger, TA/DA register, list of approved insurance companies, details regarding outstanding arrears/dues etc of Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur and Larkana regions.

All monetary and administrative steps taken were against the para, sub-para of the Local Government Accounts Manual, income and sales tax departments and the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013. The entity also remained failed in exercising Sindh Building and Town Planning Regulations, 2002 Rule 5-1.2 Contractor All Risk Insurance Policy from insurance companies in respect of the ordinance.

The SBCA vigilance and prudence in respect of expenditure, etc, also stood poor.