Today, the joint sitting of the Parliament deliberated on the performance audit report on the farm roads & industries of Bhutan. Extensive deliberations were observed regarding the construction of roads in 64 Gewogs which were still without roads. The recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee states that the construction of new roads should be withheld in Gewogs where roads already exist since 64 Gewogs still remained without any road. The Minister for Agriculture informed that the recommendation of the PAC regarding the construction of farm roads was also present in the farm road guidelines. He also informed that the construction of farm roads were clear as per procedures framed in 2002, however some problems like no objection permits with respect to environment were procured after the construction of roads by Gewogs. He further said that people need to consult each other when it comes to giving land replacement and compensation or else the farm road constructions were not feasible.

The Minister for Works & Human Settlement expressed that withholding road construction in Gewogs where roads have already arrived was not appropriate since there were people who were still not in proximity to roads. He also added that the Government was emphasizing on roads in the 10th FYP and hence there was no room to worry since most of the works had also begun in remote places of Zhemgang, Pemagatsel, Samdrupjongkhar and others. On contrary, citing the slow progress of road to Gasa, the Member from Goenkhatoe-Laya said that the committee has come up with the recommendation since the Government budget was limited and therefore it was appropriate to allot the budget in more needful places.

The Prime minister also expressed his appreciation for the work done by PAC and set forth that as far as possible the Government shall work as per the recommendations of the committee. It was resolved that the Government shall work according to the recommendations of the committee.

Deliberating on the performance audit report of industries, the committee recommended shifting the school located near industries in Pasakha as it was hampering the health of the students and teachers. To this, the Minister for Economic Affairs informed that the Government has decided to shift the school.

The Public Accounts Committee also presented the Annual Audit report, 2009. The report states that a total amount of Nu.20, 768 million has been reported under fraud, embezzlement and corruption with Ministries representing 77% of the total irregularities. The total irregularities under mismanagement amounts to Nu.35.638 million. Similarly, the violation of laws and rules included the cases of violation of budgetary norms, accounting norms and the procurement norms amounting to Nu.66.317 million. The highest irregularities of Nu.225.617 were reported under the category of shortfalls, lapses and deficiencies.

The deliberation on the report will resume tomorrow.