PAC chairpersons recommend robust audit mechanisms at Kerala Assembly conference
The two-day meeting of chairpersons from 25 states called for timely audits and the use of a digital dashboard.
Chairpersons of Public Accounts Committees (PAC) from 25 states recommended a strong mechanism for timely audits during a two-day conference at the Kerala Assembly that concluded on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, according to The Hindu.
The PACs are standing committees of parliaments and legislatures responsible for examining Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) audit reports and auditing government revenue and expenditure.
Parliamentary PAC chairperson K. C. Venugopal stated that C&AG reports often arrive years after funds are spent, making it difficult to trace trails once officers have moved on.
He noted that some governments delay placing reports before the House and called for timebound processes.
Venugopal also highlighted that replies from departments to the PAC are frequently late, incomplete, or missing. The conference suggested enforceable timelines for these replies and the appointment of specialised staff trained in public finance and audit.
Other recommendations included a common digital dashboard to monitor audits and action taken reports, and annual meetings between Central and State PACs to review how centrally sponsored schemes are being carried out.
Venugopal cited delays of up to seven years in disbursing Pre-Matric and Post-Matric Scholarships for Scheduled Caste students as an example of coordination issues. He requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to ensure PAC reports are debated in legislatures to fix accountability.