PC finds fault with revenue board's RIRA execution

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Doulot Akter Mala
Planning ministry has identified irregularities in a project of revenue board titled 'reforms in revenue administration' (RIRA) saying the implementing authority has extended time and raised cost without the consent of the Planning Commission.
Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED) of the ministry recently mentioned the irregularities in an evaluation report on the project.
In a project completion evaluation report, the IMED has said there was no administrative order issued on extension of project tenure and escalation of project expenditure.
"Initially project implementation cost was set at 2.33 million pounds for January 2002 to December 2006 period. But it was first extended to June 2007 and later to June 2009 according to an agreement singed with DFID (Department for International Development)," the report said.
It has been found that the then finance minister approved a proposal of Internal Resources Division (IRD) on extension of the project until June 2009, but there was no administrative order issued in this regard, the PC said in the report.
The project was approved with an estimated cost of Tk 479 million, including Tk 39 million local fund.
Planning Commission (PC) has found that the project was fully implemented with the DFID funds rather than spending any local fund, it said.
PC has also found escalation of project cost to Tk 997 million from Tk 479 million.
Such escalation of project cost needs planning commission's approval and amendment of Development Project Proposal (DPP), but the implementing authority of the project did not submit any amended DPP, it said.
IMED also found financial irregularities in training programme, cost escalation on manpower involvement and appointment of local and foreign consultants.
The commission recently sought clarification from the IRD by this month on this issue.
Asked about the matter, Ali Ahmed, the then project director (PD) of RIRA, said: "DFID was the implementing authority of the project. It helped NBR to carry out reforms to strengthen the national exchequer."
The agency has extended time for proper implementation of the project, he said adding that there was no escalation of the project cost.
"RIRA was a two-phase project. Cost of the project remained same as determined for the two phases," he said.
UK-based Maxwell Stamp has supplied all necessary equipment with DFID fund, which came as a grant from the development partner, he said.
NBR extended the time as a portion of DFID funds remained unutilised until deadline of the project, he said.
The project implementing authority informed the government all steps of the RIRA project, he said.
"We have conducted meetings with the planning commission, finance ministry and other relevant government agencies after successful completion of the RIRA project," he said.