Action pending on findings about deviations from norms
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Dec 21: Despite numerous communiqués from the Governor, the PDP-BJP Coalition Government has yet not established high-level committee of senior bureaucrats to ensure time-bound action on the reports of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. This is notwithstanding the fact that reports are aimed at helping the Government to overcome aberrations from the norms and to ensure good governance.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that on the basis of reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General, which brought out extremely serious aberrations and deviations from the norms, Governor had quite long time back advised the State Government to constitute a high level committee of senior officers to ensure timely action on the findings.
Even a number of reminders were also sent to the Government by the Raj Bhawan laying stress on establishment of committee so as to ensure corrective measures on the findings. “However, till date no such committee has been set-up by the Government and this has made it amply clear that PDP-BJP Coalition doesn’t want guidelines and norms to be strictly followed in the execution of developmental works and implementation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes”, sources said.
“No doubt there is a Public Accounts Committee of the Legislature to deal with the audit paras of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India but the bureaucrats cannot absolve themselves of the responsibility of paying serious attention towards the findings and recommendations of the supreme audit institution of the country”, sources said, adding “even the Public Accounts Committee is regularly censuring the departments for casual approach towards the findings of the CAG”.
They further said, “the bureaucrats are more aware of the norms and guidelines of the schemes and other procedural formalities required to be followed as such their direct involvement would be more useful in ensuring action on the CAG’s reports”.
Every year the CAG in its reports mention about the Action Taken Notes pending from large number of departments. In majority of the audit paragraphs the Action Taken Notes remain pending for several years thereby defeating the objective behind pointing out of lapses by the supreme audit institution of the country, they said, adding “lack of response from the departments and non-implementation of CAG’s recommendations lead to continuation of financial and other irregularities”.
“Actually, it is the responsibility of the Administrative Secretary of the concerned department to ensure that corrective measures are taken on the lapses pointed out by the CAG and recommendations are implemented in letter and spirit but they too pay scant attention towards the audit paragraphs”, sources regretted, adding “the non-serious approach in timely action on the CAG’s reports is notwithstanding the fact that these (reports) are aimed at ensuring good governance by putting an end to the deviations and aberrations”.
“It is a matter of concern that on one side the Government is issuing statements after regular intervals mentioning that good governance is its priority but when it comes to taking steps to translate the same on ground the Government falters”, sources regretted, adding “by not acting on the directive regarding setting up of high level committee of officers the Government is undermining the authority and importance of two major institutions—Governor and supreme audit institution of country”.
“The Governor, who himself remained senior civil servant, has asked for establishment of high-level committee on the basis of his experience as such his directive carries more importance”, sources said, adding “establishment of high-level committee will also make senior bureaucrats directly accountable for timely follow-up action on the findings and recommendations of the CAG”.
It is pertinent to mention here that EXCELSIOR during the current year carried out series of news items highlighting inaction on the reports of the CAG and even suggested that a mechanism should be evolved for prompt response by all the concerned departments.
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