Page 2 - Cag

CAG signs pact with Uzbekistan's Chamber of Accounts to foster cooperation

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India signed a pact with Uzbekistan's Chamber of Accounts in Tashkent to foster international cooperation. The agreement, inked by the two supreme audit institutions, aims to enhance collaboration and exchange of expertise in the field of auditing between the two nations, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said in a statement. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishes a collaboration platform for the exchange of knowledge and experience amongst auditing professionals to develop the capacity for conducting audits. Girish Chandra Murmu, the CAG of India, expressed his confidence in the partnership, stating, "Our MoU is important as collaborative efforts and knowledge sharing among SAIs promote the dissemination of best practices and innovative solutions, creating a global network of expertise". Additionally, investing in capacity building ensures that Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) are equipped with the necessary skill

Goa's fiscal parameters improved under CM Pramod Sawant post Covid yrs: CAG

The CAG has appreciated the Pramod Sawant government's efforts in improving fiscal parameters, including increasing revenue surplus and bringing down fiscal deficit to GSDP ratio in the post-COVID years. A report of the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) till March 31, 2023, was tabled during the just-concluded session of the Goa Legislative Assembly. In an important achievement for the Sawant government, the CAG stated the state has succeeded in improving fiscal parameters like revenue, fiscal and primary deficits etc.\, compared to the previous four years. The report focused on the achievements of Chief Minister Sawant and the Finance Department team in improving the health of state finances very effectively post the COVID pandemic. The analysis of the report makes it clear that Sawant has been a very effective Finance Minister and achieved a majority of targets under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act and Rules. The report pointed out tremendous improveme

CAG flags financial loss of Rs 2,604 cr to Railways in 33 case studies

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has flagged financial losses to the Indian Railways to the tune of Rs 2604.40 crore in 33 case studies of non-recovery of loans and GST, improper decision to generate non-fare revenues, ineligible grant of concession, and unfruitful expenditures. According to the CAG, the instances mentioned in the report are those which came to notice in the test audit for the period 2021-22 as well as those which came to notice in earlier years, but could not be reported in the previous Audit Reports. In one of these 33 cases, the CAG said that the Ministry of Railways suffered a loss of Rs 834.72 crore in interest it was forced to pay to a third party on a loan of Rs 3,200 crore it had extended to IRCON for development of a land parcel. IRCON paid the loan along with interest but no development of the land parcel was done, it said. It recommended the fixing of the responsibility for this huge loss and avoid "decisions for generating Non-Fare ...

Shortage of medical, para staff in test checked hospitals of Railways: CAG

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India said in its report that while carrying out an audit of Management of Health Services in Indian Railways' it observed the shortage of medical and para medical staff in test checked hospitals of the Zonal Railways. There was also shortage in availability of machines/medical equipment with reference to IPHS (Indian Public Health Standards) norms. Even the minimum requirement of machines/medical equipment as per clinical Establishment (Registration and Regulation) Act 2010 was not being met, the CAG said in its recent report. According to the CAG, the Indian Railways (IR) provide medical and health services to about one crore railway beneficiaries through 129 hospitals and 586 Health Units and the review on Management of Health Services in Indian Railways covered the issues for assessing the adequacy and quality of health services provided by it during the period 2017-18 to 2021-22. Audit examined the implementation of various policies and ..

CAG finds major irregularities in Jharkhand ULB's waste management projects

Major irregularities were detected in the performance audit of solid waste management in Jharkhand's urban local bodies (ULBs), according to the latest CAG report tabled in the assembly on Friday. Anomalies were found in planning and institutional mechanisms, financial management, implementation of solid waste management (SWM) projects, expenditures, and other areas, the report said. The performance audit involved test-checking 14 sampled ULBs out of 50, covering the financial years 2017-18 to 2021-22. This audit was conducted between July 2022 and January 2023 to assess the quality of SWM facilities, the report added. The state government notified the Jharkhand State Urban Sanitation Policy in 2018. The audit revealed that none of the 14 test-checked ULBs had prepared SWM plans. Additionally, nine out of the 14 ULBs failed to recognise organisations of informal waste pickers or collectors. "There was a 28 per cent vacancy for sanitary supervisors and an 89 per cent vacancy in the

Poor planning, mgmt delayed projects in Patna Smart Cities Mission: CAG

The deficient financial management, poor planning and inclusion of unfeasible projects resulted in delayed or incomplete execution of projects under the Smart Cities Mission in Patna, the CAG said in a report. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said that "unfeasible projects" were included in the list of 44 initially approved projects, indicating "poor planning on the part of Patna Smart City Limited (PSCL) and the Urban Development and Housing Department (UD&HD) of Bihar government". "This ultimately resulted in delayed/incomplete execution of projects. The financial management of PSCL was also deficient, as funds had been diverted for unapproved projects and incorrect utilisation certificates had been submitted," said the compliance audit report of the CAG for the year ended March 31, 2022, which was tabled in the Bihar assembly on Thursday. The contract management for the mission was also poor as the complete scheme did not fulfil the desired objectives, it ...

Strengthening of local governments crucial in realising SDGs: CAG

Strengthening of local governments is crucial in realizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fostering grassroot engagement, and nurturing citizen ownership and accountability, Comptroller and Auditor General of India Girish Chandra Murmu said on Thursday. Local governments are key allies in global development efforts, essential for crafting and executing policies effectively, he said after inauguration of the International Centre for Audit of Local Governance (iCAL) here. They (local governments) operate at the grassroot level, promoting economic growth while addressing global challenges, such as climate change and the preservation of the blue economy, Murmu said. The iCAL is thus envisioned as a collaborative platform uniting policymakers, administrators, and auditors involved in local governments. This centre is committed to engaging with elected representatives, executive officials and auditors of local governments across India and from Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) and

States achieve 84% of capex budget, 4 exceed target amount: CAG data

States with the lowest capex absorption included Nagaland, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, and Mizoram, according to CAG data

CAG considering tax concessions as 'presumptive loss' not fair: Subbarao

If tax concessions announced by the government are treated as 'presumptive loss' by federal auditor Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), it would diminish democracy and not enhance it, opined former RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao. Subbarao, who held various positions including the Union finance secretary, wrote in his new book titled 'Just A Mercenary?: Notes from My Life and Career' about his involvement in the decision-making on the pricing of the 2G spectrum, an issue that embroiled the UPA-2 government amid charges of mammoth corruption. "If a democratically elected government decides to forego revenue in order to serve the larger public good of deepening telecom penetration, is it open to the CAG to substitute his own judgement for the government's and call it a 'presumptive loss'?" he asked. Subbarao was responding to a question on the 2G scam case and the CAG's investigation of the presumptive loss to the government during the UPA-2 period. "If the CAG is allowed t

Why are CBI, ED not interested in CAG reports on corruption: Pawan Khera

Congress leader Pawan Khera on Monday questioned probe agencies for not looking into CAG reports that he claimed had made allegations of corruption against the Union government. Addressing a press conference here, Khera, the Congress' national spokesperson, claimed CAG reports contained "serious allegations" of irregularities in infrastructure works like the Bharatmala Pariyojana, the Dwarka Expressway, all of which are part of the Union ministry of road transport and highways headed by Nitin Gadkari. Gadkari is the Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha candidate from Nagpur. He won the seat with huge margins in 2014 and 2019. Khera alleged the ministry had issued bonds worth Rs1 lakh crore without approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs. He also claimed the National Highway Authority of India, which functions under the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, had taken huge loans "without application of mind", while its cost of construction had doubled. "Where is

Auditors should engage with stakeholders to gather input, says CAG Murmu

CAG of India Girish Chandra Murmu on Friday said auditors should engage with stakeholders to gather input, address concerns, and promote transparency and accountability. Addressing the three-day International Conference on Strengthening of Grassroots Democracy, he also emphasised on the need to prioritise audit procedures based on identified risks, focusing on areas with the highest potential for fraud, mismanagement, or regulatory non-compliance. "Together we need to advocate transparency and accountability in local government operations, encouraging the adoption of best practices in financial reporting and governance," Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said on the concluding day of the conference. He also stressed that auditors need to consider factors such as the size, complexity, and resources of the local government entity when applying auditing standards. Audit, Murmu said, should be familiar with the political, social, and economic context in which the local ...

SAI India committed to strengthen local governments audits, says CAG Murmu

CAG stressed the importance of transparency and accountability, stating, "These bodies are also vital for implementation of SDGs etc

Railways had to spend over Rs 75 cr extra due to delays: PAC report

Delay in the provisioning of Availability Based Tariff (ABT) Metres by the West Central Railway resulted in an additional expenditure of Rs 75.10 crore on power purchase, according to a Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report. The committee, which tabled its report in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, said the Railway Ministry had issued instructions in March 2015 to all zonal railways to get direct power from generating companies through open access and ensure the provision of ABT metres. The Ministry's instructions were aimed at reducing the traction tariff to optimise the unit cost of transportation. "Despite entering into an agreement in March 2016 under open access, power supply commenced only from January 2017 mainly due to a delay in the provisioning of ABT metres.The delay in shifting to open access resulted in an extra expenditure on power purchase amounting to Rs 75.10 crore," the report, which was based on a Comptroller and Auditor General of India report laid in Parliament in .

HC seeks LG's stand on DCPCR plea against inquiry, stoppage of funds

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the stand of the city lieutenant governor on a petition by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) challenging an order to withhold funds to it pending an inquiry and a special audit over allegations of misuse of government funds. Justice Subramonium Prasad, while perusing a press note on the action ordered by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena against the child rights body, observed that certain portions of the document took a political colour and asked the counsel for the LG to seek instructions. I would've said 'audit, go ahead'. (But page) 154 takes a political colour. That's when my problem begins...The usual foundation and motive problem (is there)," remarked the judge. The portion in question noted DCPCR's former chairperson Anurag Kundu and six members were politically affiliated with the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP). The counsel for the lieutenant governor said action was taken on the recommendation of other state authoritie

Himachal Pradesh govt raised Rs 13,055 crore debt in 2022-23: CAG

The Himachal Pradesh government raised loans amounting Rs 13,055 crore during 2022-23, increasing the debt burden from Rs 73,534 in 2021-22 to Rs 86,589 crore in 2022-23, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said in its report on Finance Accounts for 2022-23. The loan also included the loans raised in the last quarter of 2022-23. The report tabled in the Vidhan Sabha by Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said that out of the total amount of Rs 50,539 crore spent during the year, more than 50 per cent was paid towards salaries and pension and expenditure on these heads increased after implementation of Sixth Pay Commission, which was followed by Himachal Pradesh. However, the revenue deficit, which was Rs 7,962 crore in 2021-22, was marginally lower at Rs 6,335 crore in 2022-23. The expenditure on salaries, which was Rs 11,641 crore in 2021-22, increased to Rs 15,669 crore in the last financial year after the revision of pay scales. Similarly, the cost of payme

CAG expresses concern about security, integrity of data due to AI malware

"The discussions emphasized the importance of international collaboration, capacity building and consultation with various stakeholders to derive optimum benefits from Al"

Cong attacks govt on transfer of officers involved in audit of Expressway

The Congress on Wednesday accused the government of intimidating officers of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), who had exposed "corruption" in various schemes, and demanded that their transfer orders be revoked. Citing a media report on the transfer of the officers, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh charged that it is the modus operandi of the Modi government to threaten and remove anyone who "exposes" them. "We demand that these transfer orders should be cancelled immediately, the officers return to the CAG and action must be taken on these mega scams relating to Dwarka Expressway, Bharatmala and Ayushman Bharat," he said in a post on X. The Congress leader charged that "the Modi government operates mafia style under a cloak of silence and intimidation. If anyone exposes its modus operandi of corruption, they are threatened or removed". The latest victims are three officers of the CAG, who exposed "massive scams" in government schemes in a report tabled during the

CAG suspects corruption in distribution of student scholarship in Odisha

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has suspected fraud and corruption in the implementation of the post-matric scholarship (PMS) scheme under direct benefit transfer (DBT) in Odisha. In its report on the performance audit of the implementation of DBT in payment of PMS to eligible students in the state, which was laid before the state assembly on Tuesday, the CAG said, "Due to the absence of detailed checklist for inspection of private educational institutions, 5,185 beneficiaries of 15 ineligible institutions, had been granted PMS, amounting to Rs 15.79 crore, during financial years 2016-17 to 2016-20." The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, in its revised guidelines issued in May 2018, made it mandatory for the inspection of private educational institutions by officials nominated by the district collectors. However, the CAG noted that there was no provision for inspection of private educational institutions, for sanctioning PMS. Joint physical inspections

Assam power projects suspended for failing to follow policy needs: CAG

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on Monday said five small hydro power projects in Assam had to be abandoned or suspended due to non-adherence of statutory and policy requirements in project execution. It also pointed to delay ranging from six to nine years in commissioning of two other power projects. The observations were made in the CAG report on state public sector enterprises for the year 2021-2022, which was laid in the state Assembly on the first day of the autumn session. The report said Assam Power General Corporation Ltd (APGCL) had three operational power plants with installed capacity of 361.70 MW. Out of the capacity addition of 371.66 MW (five projects) planned during 2017-22, APGCL could commission only three projects (181.66 MW). Of these three projects, only the Lakwa Replacement Power Project was commissioned on time, while Namrup Replacement Power Project (NRPP) and Myntriang Small Hydro Electric Project were commissioned with a delay of six and nine ye

Presentation on CAG's 'Bharatmala Pariyojana' report made to Parl's PAC

A presentation of the recent CAG report on the 'Bharatmala Pariyojana' was made at a meeting of the Parliament's Public Accounts Committee headed by Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday, sources said. The audit report on the implementation of Phase-I of the 'Bharatmala Pariyojana' highway projects triggered a political row with opposition parties alleging corruption in the process of awarding the project. The Road Transport and Highways Ministry, however, has said the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) findings that the cost was exorbitant are misplaced as it did not factor in the actual cost. The sources said at the PAC's meeting on Tuesday, there was a presentation on the CAG report, which was tabled in Parliament on August 10. The PAC is a committee of selected MPs that audits the revenue and expenditure of the government, and its primary function is to examine a report of the CAG after it is tabled in Parliament. During the meeting, they said, opposition members