Parliament Approves MVR 114 Million Budget for Auditor General's Office

The Parliament has unanimously approved a budget of MVR 114 million for the Auditor General's Office (AGO) for the upcoming year during today's session.

As mandated by the Constitution, the AGO is required to submit its budget separately to ensure independence from external influences. Initially, the AGO submitted a budget request of MVR 99 million, with MVR 80 million allocated for recurrent and capital expenses and MVR 19 million designated for the ongoing construction of its office building in Hulhumalé.

During budget preparations, the AGO consulted with the Ministry of Finance and recommended a reduction in salaries and wages. However, the Budget Committee decided against this, citing previous complaints from the AGO regarding difficulties in attracting experienced auditors due to low pay. The committee emphasized the importance of a well-funded budget to prevent financial strain and bolster the AGO’s capabilities.

The Ministry of Finance further recommended increasing the MVR 19 million allocation for the Hulhumalé office building project to MVR 34 million. As a result, a revised budget of MVR 114 million was submitted to the Budget Committee, where it was approved by a majority of its members.

The approval of the larger budget aims to support the AGO’s critical work while ensuring the institution can attract and retain skilled personnel necessary for its operations.