Parliament OKs MVR 112M budget for Auditor General’s Office

Auditor General Hussain Niyaazy speaks at the unveiling ceremony of Regulation on Audit and Accountability of SEOs and the Regulation on Public Interest Entity Auditors on November 9, 2021. (Sun Photo/Ahmed Aiman Ali)

The Parliament has approved an MVR 112 million budget for the Auditor General’s Office for the next year.

The AGO had submitted a proposed budget of MVR 123.7 million. But the Public Accounts Committee cut down some of the budget expenses and adjusted the figure to MVR 112 million.

The committee’s report on the budget was called to vote at the Parliament floor on Wednesday. It passed with the unanimous vote of 52 MPs.

While presenting the report, the committee’s chair, Kinbidhoo MP Mohamed Nashiz said the committee had sought advise from the Finance Ministry and the Pay Commission for its review of the budget.

The committee, during its review, had cut down the funds allocated to raise the dependency allowance. The committee also allocated MVR 38.1 million for the AGO’s new building, and cut capital and recurrent expenses to 74.14 million.

The AGO’s budget needs to be passed ahead of the annual state budget.