KATHMANDU, Jan 3: The members on the Public Account Committee (PAC) of the Legislature-Parliament are to draw the attention of the Speaker towards the need of appointing Committee President at the earliest. 

A meeting of the Committee held today ended with this decision. The post of the Committee head lying vacant for long would not send a positive message to the public, the meeting concluded. 

Besides, the meeting agreed to sort out the issues in pending in the Committee immediately and direct the Investigation, Study and Monitoring Committee to carry out its activities effectively, Committee the senior most member Sarbendra Nath Shukla said. 

Likewise, the Arrears Settlement Sub Panel of the Committee is to consult with government bodies regarding their arrears and take initiative to have such arrears cleared. The Committee has agreed to meet regularly. 

The meeting ended with the decision of summoning a meeting among the Acting Auditor General, Chief Secretary and secretaries of 10 ministries with maximum arrears on coming January 9 to discuss on the issues and the latest scenario of the arrears. 

The post of Committee President has been lying vacant since the then president Janardan Sharma becomes the minister. The regular activities of the Committee have been affected in the absence of the President. 

Committee member Ramhari Khatiwada said they had earlier urged the Speaker for the creation of atmosphere conducive for choosing a new president. 

The role of PAC is taken as pivotal in carrying out check and balance of the government performance. Though, there is a parliamentary practice of allocating the post of the Committee President to the opposition parties, the major ruling party CPN (Maoist Center) is too claiming for the post, beside the main opposition CPN-UML. RSS 

 
• public account committee
 
• legislature-parliament
 
• speaker
 
• committee president