KATHMANDU: The accumulated amount of irregularities (beruju) in Sudurpaschim Province has crossed Rs3.54 billion, with the provincial government adding another Rs604.89 million in fiscal year 2024/25 alone.

According to the Office of the Auditor General’s Eighth Annual Report, total outstanding beruju had reached Rs3.548 billion by the end of 2024/25. Only a small portion of previously identified irregularities has been cleared, allowing the backlog to grow each year.

The province had Rs2.984 billion in outstanding beruju at the end of 2023/24. Of that amount, only Rs40.84 million was cleared through audit settlement, while Rs4.99 million was added. After another Rs604.89 million was recorded in 2024/25, the total reached Rs3.548 billion.

Irregularities rising faster

The Auditor General audited Rs39.50 billion worth of transactions at 159 provincial entities in 2024/25 and found irregularities equivalent to 1.53% of the audited amount.

The ratio was 1.41% in 2023/24, when Rs35.63 billion was audited and Rs500.69 million in beruju was identified. In 2022/23, the irregularity rate stood at 0.59%, with Rs376.39 million recorded from Rs39.44 billion in audited transactions.

The trend has been rising since the province was established. Beruju stood at Rs5.96 million in 2017/18, Rs882.87 million in 2018/19, Rs575.16 million in 2019/20, Rs772.48 million in 2020/21 and Rs919.57 million in 2021/22.

Infrastructure ministry tops list

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development recorded the highest amount of new beruju in 2024/25 at Rs276.63 million.

The Ministry of Social Development followed with Rs221.62 million. The Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment recorded Rs44.14 million, while the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives had Rs32.50 million.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law recorded Rs28.23 million, while the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers had Rs1.57 million and the Provincial Policy and Planning Commission Rs190,000.

The growing backlog has raised concerns over financial discipline and accountability in the province. Civil society leaders argue that audit findings have had limited impact because irregularities are rarely settled promptly and those responsible are not consistently held accountable.

Local residents have also raised concerns over alleged irregularities in project selection, budget allocation and the role of intermediaries in provincial development spending.