Press Release on the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) | Irrigation Department

The payment procedure followed by the Irrigation Department does not comply with the Government’s monetary regulations – COPA directs its attention regarding the matter

• The Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) questions from the officials regarding increasing the bid of 2,093 million rupees submitted by the contractor for the Basnagoda Reservoir construction project by 254 million rupees on the recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Committee.

As the payment procedure followed by the Irrigation Department is not in accordance with the government’s financial regulations, the Chair of the Committee on Public Accounts drew the attention of the Committee regarding the non-implementation of the recommendations given by the previous Committee meeting to rectify the procedure.

Attention was drawn to this matter when the Committee on Public Accounts met in Parliament on 07^th August 2024 under the Chairmanship of the State Minister Hon. Lasantha Alagiyawanna.

Furthermore, in the year 2022, 1177 checks worth 352,420,052 rupees were issued in the name of the Regional Irrigation Engineer and the issue pertaining to the Divisional Assistant who cancelled crossing while confirming the payments cashing it by himself was also taken up for discussion. Thus, COPA recommended the officials to take proper action in this regard.

The Committee inquired from the officials present regarding the bid of 2,093 million rupees submitted by the contractor for the Basnagoda Reservoir construction project which had been increased by 254 million rupees amounting to a value of 2,347 million rupees based on the recommendations of the Technical Evaluation Committee.

The officials who were present stated that there has been some mistake in the calculation and a double entry has been made and all measures have been taken to rectify the error made.

Even though an advance of 4.35% of the estimate of the Ging Nilwala project had been paid, a discussion further was held regarding not starting the project accordingly.

State Minister Hon. Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva, Member of Parliament Hon. (Dr.) Upul Galappaththi, Hon. J. C. Alawathuwala, Hon. Jayantha Ketagoda were also present at the Committee meeting held.