Top babus back CAG audit of government policies,for its 'mandate' to analyze implementation-Oct 17, 2011

Top babus back CAG audit of government policies

Pradeep Thakur, TNN | Oct 17, 2011, 01.09AM IST


At a time when it has been accused of overstepping its brief, Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai has secured endorsement from 10 secretaries of Union ministries.

NEW DELHI: At a time when it has been accused of overstepping its brief, the Comptroller and Auditor General has secured endorsement from 10 secretaries of Union ministries, including the expenditure secretary in the finance ministry and the secretary of the department of personnel and training - which comes under the Prime Minister's Office - for its 'mandate' to analyze implementation of government policies.

A closed door, two-day meeting in Shimla which ended on Sunday - attended by CAG Vinod Rai, Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar and rural development minister Jairam Ramesh - decided to "analyze public expenditure in all forms and at all levels as per stated government goals, objectives and policy and procedures".

"All present were of the opinion that CAG had the mandate to do performance audit analyzing government's policy implementation and comment on any irregularities arising from them," sources said.

Bureaucrats present at the conclave included 10 secretaries from the Union government and 10 secretaries from state governments. The bureaucrats from the Centre included the secretaries of urban development, rural development, panchayati raj, power, expenditure, department of heavy industries, and environment and forests.

The endorsement of CAG's mandate from the steel frame of India comes at a time when the government had questioned the apex auditor's powers to comment on policy issues.

The Shimla conclave decided to thoroughly examine the government's social sector expenditure where at least 37% of the Plan expenditure or more than Rs 1,60,000 crore has been allocated this year alone. The agenda was laid down: Very soon, the rural development ministry and the CAG would enter into an agreement to audit all development schemes as per a jointly agreed format "to ensure public accountability".

Questioning the auditor's jurisdiction to review policy matters, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had recently advised the CAG to "limit its office to the role defined" and had reminded it that "never in the past had the CAG decided to comment on a policy issue."