Overall financial compliance during Yahaplana time showed progress – COPA

Tissa Vitarana

Parliamentary committee tasked with probing managerial efficiency and financial discipline of the Government – COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) says that overall financial and performance compliance average of government institutions during the Yahapalana period had a steady progress.

A report tabled in Parliament by COPA Chairman Prof Tissa Vitarana on Thursday shows that the average of overall financial and performance compliance of all institutions are 64% for the financial year 2015, 71% for the financial year 2016, 80% for the financial year 2017, 78% for the financial year 2018 and 82% for the financial year 2019.

Titled Third Report of the COPA on Financial & Performance Evaluation of the State Institutions, Provincial Councils and Local Government Authorities based on the online Management Information System, it was based on the evaluation of approximately 840 institutions.

Prof Vitarana said that though the Committee expected to submit this report for the year 2019 by 2020, it was delayed due to COVID – 19 pandemic.

The report also presents the overall financial and performance compliance average of all government institutions examined from the financial year 2015 to the financial year 2019.

The average of overall financial and performance compliance of all institutions examined from year 2015 to year 2019 are 64% for the financial year 2015, 71% for the financial year 2016, 80% for the financial year 2017, 78% for the financial year 2018 and 82% for the financial year 2019.

The percentage of the progress achieved by all the institutions in financial year 2019 considering the financial year 2015 as the base year is 28%.

When considering the percentage of the progress of each category of institutions in financial year 2019 based on the financial year 2015, the progress obtained by Government Ministries are at 11.77%.

The progress obtained by Government Departments is reported as 10.49%. Accordingly, the progress obtained by Government Special Spending Units are at 26.56%, District Secretariat 8.62%, Provincial Council Funds 14.74%, Provincial Council Ministries, Departments, Special Spending Units 21.22%, Provincial Council Statuary Authorities 58.46%, Municipal Councils 4.82%, Urban Council 16.65% and the progress obtained by Pradeshiya Sabhas 17.5%.

Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Tissa Vitarana also extended his gratitude to Lasantha Alagiyawanna, former chair of the Committee who held the Chairmanship of the Committee during the English Parliament for the innovative concept and the initiatives taken to implement this programme which has gained a wide recognition even internationally.

(Source: The Island)