Finance Ministry accounts for over 70 percent of total arrears
KATHMANDU, MAY 16
Nepal's total arrears have reached Rs 755 billion, with an additional Rs 88.09 billion recorded in the past year, according to the latest annual report of the Office of the Auditor General.
The report for fiscal year 2081/82 was submitted to President Ramchandra Paudel on Thursday.
According to Auditor General Toyam Raya, audits covering Rs 9,484.5 billion were conducted across federal, provincial and local levels, as well as organised institutions and other entities.
However, audits of Rs 147.9 billion could not be carried out after 179 offices failed to submit accounts, partly due to disruptions linked to incidents in September last year.
The report identified Rs 88.09 billion in new arrears requiring policy and systemic improvements. Of this, federal government offices accounted for Rs 53.49 billion, provincial offices Rs 5.23 billion, local levels Rs 19.05 billion, and other institutions Rs 10.32 billion.
During the review period, Rs 14.63 billion was recovered from previous arrears.
The Ministry of Finance recorded the highest share of arrears at 70.37 percent, followed by the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, the Ministry of Forests and Environment, and the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology.
The report also noted that audits were conducted for 3,050 federal entities, 1,124 provincial bodies and local levels, along with committees and institutions designated under federal law, reflecting broad oversight of public finances.