'Govt audit renders great service'

The Government Audit Service renders a great service to the nation by reducing waste and promoting efficiency in the state sector, said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa addressing the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Audit Service Association held at the ICTAD Auditorium on Tuesday.

"Government auditors render their service with many difficulties. However their services bring good results for the government sector by maintaining financial discipline, accounting procedures and check and balances." He said today's auditing is not only about balancing the accounts, but is also about the efficiency in utilizing human and physical resources."

The government will soon take steps to establish the Sri Lanka Audit Service. This proposal will address the grievances of auditors and provide a systematic recruitment and promotion scheme," he said.

The minister said the history of Auditing dates back to the Anuradhapura period. Inscriptions indicate that there was a very good auditing system during the ancient period. King Mahinda (IV) of the Anuradhapura period has clearly instructed officers to strictly maintain audit procedures.