CAG, govt officials hold talks to improve audit quality

Officials from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India and the Central government held talks on Monday to improve audit quality.

An official statement said the talks were held with a view to involve the executive side in the audit planning process to elicit its suggestions on the areas which could be selected for audit.

The CAG interacted with the representatives of seven selected ministries, the statement said. “This would help to understand their concerns and would also supplement the risk assessment exercise being undertaken by the CAG in the course of finalising the annual plan of audit activities,” the statement added.

The meeting was chaired by Anita Pattanayak, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General, with representatives from the Ministries of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Jal Shakti, Earth Sciences, New and Renewable Energy, Science and Technology, Food Processing Industries and Food and Consumer Affairs.

Pattanayak said, “We are keen on this interaction as we appreciate that, activities undertaken by scientific and environmental ministries are critical to the national objective of broad based economic growth and balanced development across all sectors. Food and nutritional security is another key challenge that the country is grappling with, which requires timely and sustained Government interventions”.

Participating the discussion, Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, emphasised the role of CAG in accessing outcomes of important interventions of the government.

Iyer said the rural sanitation is a dynamic process. “From 2020-2021 to 2024-2025 is the second phase of the Swach Bharat Mission. For the first time funds have been earmarked for sanitation by the 15th Finance Commission. Ministry is also working on solid and liquid waste management. Audit should see how the earmarked funds are utilised,” he said.

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