National Assembly Secretariat paid an amount of Rs 252.60 million to an airliner in the last three financial years for air tickets of MNAs against their privileges, without maintaining the record of the actually tilised tickets. The audit report 2010-11 for the accounts of the National Assembly Secretariat reveals that the NA Secretariat released the amount to an airliner in FY0708, FY0809, and FY0910 for the purchase of air tickets for MNAs, without keeping proper record of their utilisation.
The NA members did not return the used tickets to the secretariat, nor did the airliner informed the secretariat about the details of the tickets actually utilised tickets. “The audit noted that under the provision of Members of Parliament (salaries and allowance) Act, 1974, the secretariat provided air tickets according to the proportionate period during the financial year 2007-08. It is stated that from July 1, 2007 to November 15, 2007 (previous assembly) and March 17 to June 30 and July 1 to December 2008 (present assembly), the airliner issued air tickets on coupon paper for MNAs and no office record is available with the airliner to check its utilisation by the MNAs, whereas the numbers of air tickets are available on the airliner invoices and records,” the report said.
The audit further observed that the secretariat arranged eight privileged air tickets from the airliner for the period from January 1 to June 30, 2009 for MNAs on proportionate basis, which could not be checked on the record of the airliner after the end of financial year 2008-09. “Some MNAs surrendered their tickets to the secretariat and they were passed on to airliner for refund or adjustment of the amount in the sanctions,” the report adds. The audit maintained that the management had failed to frame a proper mechanism to reconcile the expenditure actually charged to the government’s account that resulted in loss to the exchequer, which cannot be monetised in the absence of relevant record.
In another case, the federal audit authorities have revealed that a number of MNAs inducted in the federal cabinet and advisers received privilege travel vouchers or cash allowance amounting to Rs 3.30 million in their capacity as MNAs, although they were not entitled to avail such privileges. “The management replied that 22 former MNAs have been requested for the recovery of Rs 821,345, whereas two MNAs have refunded Rs 179,810. Further, two MNAs had passed away and the case of recovery of their dues is under process with their families. Similarly, three ministers out of 31 had submitted certificates regarding the utilisation of their privileges,” the audit report reveals.
