Inter-parliamentary Budget Oversight Workshop held

An Inter-parliamentary Budget Oversight Workshop jointly organized by Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Joint Public Accounts Committee and International IDEA group under the European Union’s My Governance Project was held at Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Thabin Hall, Nay Pyi Taw yesterday morning. The workshop was held to share the budget assessment experience of the public accounts committees of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and state/region Hluttaws and to find a solution for the challenges faced.

In his opening speech delivered at the workshop, Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Deputy Speaker and Joint Public Accounts Committee Chairman U Aye Tha Aung said the workshop is a budget related study and assessment. A study and assessment of a budget is important for a country.

Assessments need to be made of whether incomes and expenditures of a country are used for the benefit of the people and whether the project and budget are in line. For a country’s economy to development and to raise the living standard, it is important to use the country’s fund systematically and effectively in conducting the projects. Public Accounts Committees in the Hluttaws need to assess that the government is systematically and effectively conducting the project and using the budget and funds. Budget is an account showing the monetary amount used by a government department or organization for a stated sector. The work of budgeting is jointly conducted by the government and the Hluttaw. Hluttaw emphasizes on enacting a law. Assessment of a budget is a work conducted on behalf of the people.

U Aye Tha Aung spoke of assessing the public fund with laws, rules and financial regulations. Next, Joint Public Accounts Committee Vice Chairman (2) U Aung Min explained about the background history and the aim of the workshop. Mr Johann Hessee, Head of Cooperation of European Union then delivered a speech. Afterwards, budget assessment committees of state/ region Hluttaws discussed about challenges faced in studying and assessing budget and project laws while Ministry of Planning and Finance Budget Department Director General Daw Nwe Nwe Win provided an explanation on conducting an overview of implementing a budget.

The workshop was attended by Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Joint Public Accounts Committee Vice Chairmen, secretaries and members, Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw Public Accounts Committees members, deputy speakers of State/Region Hluttaws, public account committee chairmen and members of state/region Hluttaws, Mr. Mark Mc Dowell of IDEA Myanmar, EU/GOPA, member of Belgian Chamber of Representative Mr. Hendrik Bogaert, invited representatives of local and foreign organizations, officials from Ministry of Planning and Finance and officials from Pyidaungsu Hluttaw, Pyithu Hluttaw and Amyotha Hluttaw and the workshop will be held until 9 May.

Myanmar News Agency

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar