Govt. loses Rs. 4 b over failure to acquire license system

• Motor Traffic Dept. faulted for incompetence 
• No new contractor appointed even though current agreement ends on Monday 
• Govt. also loses tax on forged documents to register motor vehicles  

Failure to acquire the process followed to issue driving licenses under the Department of Motor Traffic has led the Government to incur a loss of Rs. 4 billion, the Committee on Public Accounts (CoPA) was told yesterday.  CoPA Chairman and Opposition lawmaker Lasantha Alagiyawanna, issuing a directive to the Ministry of Finance to prepare a detailed report on the loss incurred due to the faults of Department of Motor Traffic, stated that at least 50% of the ministerial recommendations were not met resulting in the Government incurring losses.

According to Auditor General Chulantha Wickramaratne who was also present at the CoPA meeting, the Department of Motor Traffic is wilfully avoiding the State regulations. 

During the investigation, it was also revealed that the Department of Motor Traffic has failed to find a new contractor to commence the issuing of driving licenses with the agreement between the current contractor coming to an end by next Monday.

The data collection based on the traffic offences, enabling to obtain drivers licenses online, engaging Police to prevent traffic offences were some of the matters the Department had skipped establishing. During the meeting it was decided to obtain House approval make use of a marks scheme introduced against traffic offences leading to the suspension of drivers’ licenses once the total demerit points reach 24.

The Government has also lost money with the use of forged documents used to register motor vehicles, the CoPA revealed. (AH)