PAC chairpersons call for tighter scrutiny of public spending
A national conference in Thiruvananthapuram adopted an eight-point resolution to improve audit mechanisms and accountability.
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairpersons from Parliament and 25 State legislatures have called for closer scrutiny of public spending and quicker action on audit findings. According to The Hindu, the group adopted an eight-point resolution at the end of a two-day meeting in Thiruvananthapuram.
The conference, themed ‘Audit, Accountability and Good Governance: The Evolving Role of PAC’, recommended the use of forensic tools to identify areas requiring legislative oversight. Participants also called for the creation of a digital platform for peer learning and the adoption of digital oversight systems in all State and Union Territory legislatures.
Parliamentary PAC chairman K.C. Venugopal said Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports often reach committees years after money is spent. He noted that some governments delay placing reports before the House and that replies from ministries are often late or incomplete.
Venugopal requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to ensure PAC reports are debated in Parliament and Assemblies. The Speaker said the recommendations would provide a pathway to improve PAC functioning and ensure public money is used efficiently.
The resolution proposed strengthening PAC secretariats through specialised training and suggested that State and Union Territory PACs hold at least three sittings a month. It also recommended that a committee of Central and State PACs meet annually to discuss Centrally sponsored schemes.