PAC to seek more teeth, Constitutional status

The Public Accounts Committees of Parliament and State Assemblies are seeking ‘Constitutional Status’ similar to that of the Election Commission and the Comptroller and Auditor General.

Ahead of a two-day meeting of the PACs of States and Union territories, which begins here on Tuesday, PAC Chairman KV Thomas said the PAC chairmen and senior members will seek more teeth for the panel that monitors the government spending.

Talking to reporters on the agenda of the meeting, he said internationally PACs have larger role in the auditing of governments’ accounts.

“We will discuss issues such as more powers for the PAC. It should have the status of the Election Commission or the CAG. Its activities should be more transparent,” Thomas said.

At the moment, PAC’s procedures are not open to the media or to the public. Thomas said a final resolution of the meeting will discuss such issues.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will inaugurate the All India Conference of the Chairpersons of the Public Accounts Committees of Parliament and State/ Union Territories Legislatures, which is being held after a gap of 15 years. PACs feel that their reports are not being taken seriously by the government departments at the Centre or at the States.

Thomas said the conference will try to build a broad platform to share and learn from the experiences of PAC functioning and discuss, debate and find solutions to enhance the level of functioning.

The MPs and MLAs will discuss on seven key topics directly impacting PAC’s functioning such as ‘Challenges faced by PAC’, ‘Best Practice Standards for Public Accounts Committees’, ‘Strengthening the PAC Secretariat’, ‘Examination of witnesses: Existing Secretaries and Financial Advisors vis-a-vis actual incumbents’, ‘PAC and C&AG Equation’ ‘Expectation of Citizens from their Parliament, particularly PACs to operate with more probity to ensure transparency and value for public money’ and ‘Action Taken Notes on the recommendations of PAC’ & ‘Non-production of Records’.

Former PAC Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi will inaugurate the concluding session.