KATHMANDU: President Ram Chandra Paudel has urged the government to move toward clearing financial irregularities and strengthening fiscal discipline, warning that growing arrears reflect weakening accountability and transparency in public institutions.
Receiving the Auditor General’s annual report for the fiscal year 2025/26 at Shital Niwas on Friday, President Paudel said the scale of irregular government expenditure indicated a decline in public sector accountability, transparency and financial discipline.
He stressed that discouraging irregular state spending and enforcing financial discipline are essential to fulfilling the aspirations of younger generations for sustainable peace, good governance, development and prosperity.
“The issues raised in the report should make the concerned agencies and stakeholders more accountable,” Paudel said.
He also called on the Office of the Auditor General to become more active in strengthening institutional capacity, professional competence and internal governance in the coming days.
During the programme, Auditor General Toyam Raya submitted the annual report for the fiscal year 2025/26 to the President.
Presenting the report, Raya said total outstanding irregularities for the fiscal year stood at Rs 88.08 billion.
According to the report, federal government offices accounted for Rs 53.48 billion of the total arrears, while provincial government offices recorded Rs 5.22 billion.
Similarly, local governments accounted for Rs 19.04 billion in arrears, while committees and other institutions recorded Rs 10.32 billion.
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