Parliamentary panel report reveals anti-doping agency’s 9-year accounts cleared in one go

New Delhi [India], April 19 (ANI): A Parliamentary Committee has pointed out the “lack of proper monitoring” of accounts of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), revealing that for nine years, from 2009 to 18, its accounts were cleared in one single meeting.
The NADA is an autonomous body under the Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, tasked with the mandate to implement anti-doping rules as per World Anti-Doping Code (WADA), regulate dope control programme and promote anti-doping education and awareness about doping and its ill effects among sportspersons.
The Parliamentary Committee, headed by Rajya Sabha MP KC Ramamurthy, in its 167th Report, which was submitted earlier this month in the Rajya Sabha, underlined that the delay provided by the Department of Sports in holding the General Body meeting on August 1, 2018, which approved the accounts of all those years in one sitting, pointed at lack of proper monitoring.
The report, which was adopted by the Committee on March 30 this year, deals with the delayed laying of the Annual Reports and Audited Accounts (AR/AA) of NADA.
“The Committee also finds it surprising to note that the accounts of NADA for nine years since 2009-10 till 2017-18, were approved in one single meeting, which points at lack of proper monitoring of accounts in time,” says the report.
During its deliberations, as per the report, the Committee found that accounts of NADA for the years 2009-10 till 2017-18 have been laid on a single day such as on December 9, 2019, while reasons sought by the panel were not provided by the organisation.
“Yet, the sole reason for this delay provided by the Department of Sports is the delay in holding the General Body meeting on August 1, 2018, which approved the accounts of all those years in one sitting,” added the panel in its report.
“No reason has been furnished for holding only one meeting of the General Body since inception,” reads the report.
Therefore, the report says, the Committee takes a very serious view of the fact that the replies provided by the Department in response to the questions raised by the Committee “do not provide a true and reliable picture of the factors leading to the delays”.
The Committee also notes that the common procedural factors like the compilation of data, delay in completion of accounts and holding of General Body meetings have been stated to be beyond the control of the Department, mentions the report.
“All these are routine procedures adopted in the preparation of reports and accounts. A proper and well-developed mechanism for the execution of routine activities can address these issues to a great extent,” added the report.
The Committee had heard the representatives of the Department of Sports of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The Committee observed that implementation of an organisation specific time schedule is a pressing need to ensure timely completion of each stage relating to the preparation and laying of reports, and, therefore, enjoined the Department to expedite the matter.
The Committee also inter-alia gave recommendations regarding laying of both Annual Reports and Audited Accounts as well as Review and Delay Statements simultaneously in Parliament to give a complete and fair picture of the working of these organisations and timely uploading of these papers on the website. (ANI)