In a startling revelation at a recent Government Finance Committee meeting in Parliament, Auditor General Chulantha Wickramaratne disclosed that 300 vehicles belonging to the Irrigation Department have gone missing. The announcement came during a discussion on the management and accountability of government assets, highlighting significant lapses in the oversight of state-owned vehicles.
Wickramaratne emphasized that the Comptroller General’s Office, which is tasked with maintaining records of government assets, lacks comprehensive information regarding the whereabouts of these vehicles. He further revealed that an investigation into the matter has already been initiated, with preliminary findings indicating that a large number of vehicles from various government institutions, including the Presidential Secretariat, are unaccounted for.
To aid the investigation, the Auditor General plans to obtain the registered vehicle register from the Department of Motor Traffic and cross-reference it with the records of the relevant institutions. This comparison is expected to shed light on the discrepancies and identify the missing vehicles. Wickramaratne warned that the heads of the institutions where vehicles are missing will be held personally responsible for the lapses.
The revelation has raised serious concerns about the mismanagement of government resources and the lack of accountability in maintaining state assets. The disappearance of 300 vehicles from the Irrigation Department alone points to systemic issues in asset tracking and oversight within government institutions.
The investigation is ongoing, and the Auditor General has pledged to take stringent action against those responsible for the mismanagement. The findings are expected to prompt reforms in the way government assets are monitored and accounted for, ensuring greater transparency and accountability in the future.
This development underscores the urgent need for improved governance and stricter controls over public resources to prevent such losses in the future. Further updates on the investigation are anticipated as the Auditor General’s office continues its work.
