MC audit report sans fiscal records

The Chandigarh municipal corporation's audit report for 2011-12, which was submitted on November 27, has shown the functioning of the civic body in poor light. The audit report has been prepared without incorporating the financial records for the said year.

The report states that the opening balance of the financial position of the MC was Rs 539 crore. In spite of repeated reminders issued to the MC chief accounts officer and letters issued by the MC commissioner who asked the accounts department to furnish details, neither any reply was submitted by them nor financial position for the year 2011-2012 was furnished by them.
Due to the non-availability of information, the audit report for 2011-12 was being issued without incorporating the financial position, the report said.

Nominated councillor Surinder Bahga said, "The way the civic body is functioning is very unfortunate. If the officers concerned cannot obey the directions of the MC commissioner regarding the furnishing of financial records, then we can very well understand that the common man has no say in the civic body."

However, MC chief accounts officer Desh Raj said, "We failed to furnish the financial records to the audit department on time as we are short of staff. But we submitted the entire record on November 30."

However, the report was already submitted on November 27. Generally, the MC audit department submits the report in mid-September every year. This year it got delayed by two months and still it lacks financial record.