Rymbui ask ADCs to improve accounting and auditing framework

SHILLONG, AUG 29: Minister in-charge District Council Affairs Lahkmen Rymbui on Monday asked the autonomous district councils (ADCs) to improve their respective accounting.

He was addressing at a one day state conference on the topic “Strengthening the Finances and Financial Accountability of Autonomous District Councils in Meghalaya” – held at the State Convention Centre, Shillong here.

Rymbui highlighted the importance of accounting in this new age and stated that it is vital for all the Autonomous District Council (ADC) in the state to be highly dynamic in accounting without missing the proper mechanism with the changing policy and financial rules of the government.

“In this era of technology, new methods of accounting are being streamlined into the system in which the accounting wing of the respective  ADC needs to update and upscale themselves to improve the accounting and auditing framework of the Councils,” he said.

Rymbui said that the objectives of the conference is to orient the representatives of the three ADCs, state government officials and representatives of local to strengthen their finances as well as reforms in the accounting and auditing the financial health and challenges of the ADCs.

He said that this conference will also highlight and address the issues of the ADCs and help them understand the measures that are needed to be taken in order to improve transparency and accountability of the ADCs.

He added that accounting is very important and the government of India in the last 10 years has aggressively tried to streamline the way the ADCs spent their income or whatever funds they received from other sources.

“This is the need of the hours because not like before, now every book is an open book, every account is an open account and especially with system of new age accounting where everything has to be done online, so this conference needs deliberation because we have seen whether the state or district council or any organization, if we cannot give proper accounting, it is very difficult for us to get our funds” he said.

Rymbui said that the government of India time and again has come out with a policy and it is very important for each and every ADC to be very dynamic in accounting and the accounting of ADCs needs to be updated.

He added that in the last five-six years all the ADCs are trying to improve their accounting system, to improve their maintenance of their own fund and in due course of time it will help in streamlining the running of the ADCs itself.

Rymbui stated that most of the ADCs in the state are overstaffed and most of ADCs cannot pay the salary which has compelled them to take a decision to streamline the way they recruit the people or streamline the way they engage people.

“Two years the JHADC have taken a decision and passed a resolution to abolish more than 300 posts in due course of time as and when the incumbent personal is retired and this is one that the JHADC took to streamline the expenses” he added.

By Our Reporter