Staff Reporter

Shillong, March 30: Four municipal boards (MBs) have failed to prepare their respective annual accounts, according to the Annual Technical Inspection Report on Urban Local Bodies for the year ended March 31, 2018, tabled in the Assembly on Tuesday.

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These include Resubelpara, Jowai, Williamnagar and Baghmara municipal board.

The report said the Shillong Municipal Board had also failed to prepare its annual accounts for 2017-2018 though it was due by July 31, 2018.

On the reason for the non-preparation of the annual accounts, the Resubelpara MB said that no proper training was given to its officials and staff while the Baghmara MB stated to maintain accounts as per prescribed norms but no annual accounts or financial statements were prepared, Jowai MB said it did not have an expert staff or chartered accountant for guidance and Williamnagar MB said there is no computer expert appointed.

Non-preparation of annual accounts by the four MBs as per the prescribed format and failure of the Shillong MB to ensure timely preparation of the annual accounts had been highlighted by Audit in the previous ATIRs for the year ending 31 March 2015, 31 March 2016 and 31 March 2017.

Appropriate recommendations were also being made in these ATIRs.

The ATIR however did not accept the reasons attributed by the MBs for the non-preparation of annual accounts.

It recommended that all MBs should prepare their annual accounts in time and if necessary, training should be imparted to the accountants of the MBs.