The Planning Commission’s decision to ask the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to audit infrastructure development schemes in Naxal-affected areas is a great step towards ensuring proper scrutiny of finances before the release of funds. Given India’s size, population, diversity and multi-party system of governance, such a step was long due.
The huge expenditure incurred by the ministry of defence and home affairs also needs to be examined periodically. For this purpose the two ministries should be made one and the CAG should carry out a pre- and-post audit of the expenditure they incur. The data thus obtained by the CAG can be placed before the Parliament to ascertain which of the two measures are cost-effective: raising more battalions to fight insurgency and terrorism or pushing the development agenda in various states to counter them.
J C Joshi, on email
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