Monthly meetings to be held with Pr Accountant General
*Admn Secys asked to focus on reconciliation exercise
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 12: Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has directed all the departments to settle pending audit paragraphs pertaining to Financial Years 2019-20 to 2021-22 within a period of three months positively. Moreover, all the Administrative Secretaries have been told to focus on reconciliation exercise.
In a recent meeting of all the Administrative Secretaries, Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta had detailed discussion on pending audit paragraphs contained in the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, official sources told EXCELSIOR.
After deliberations on department-wise pending audit paragraphs, the Chief Secretary asked all the Administrative Secretaries to focus on reconciliation exercise. Moreover, they were directed to have the audit paragraphs pertaining to the Financial Years 2019-20 to 2021-22 cleared within a period of three months positively.
The Principal Secretary, Finance Department has been asked to monitor the progress in this regard on regular basis. Besides, directions have been issued that monthly meetings shall be convened with the Principal Accountant General J&K at the level of the Chief Secretary for the next three months so as to ensure that no audit paragraphs remains pending, sources informed.
It is pertinent to mention here that the broad objectives of audit are to ensure legality, regularity, efficiency and effectiveness of financial management and public administration mainly through assessment as to whether the financial statements are properly prepared, are complete in all respects and are presented with adequate disclosures (financial audit); whether the provisions of the Constitution, the applicable laws, rules and regulations made there-under and various orders and instructions issued by competent authority are being complied with (compliance audit) and the extent to which an activity, programme or organization operates economically, efficiently and effectively (performance audit).
“As per the Regulations of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India each department is supposed to have audit committee for settlement of pending audit paragraphs and from time to time the Government of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir issued directions through the General Administration Department to all the departments for ensuring timely settlement of audit paragraphs”, sources said.
“The audit committees are required to hold meetings on number and gist of audit observations/paragraphs included in the audit report(s) of the CAG of the previous year; number of gist of major irregularities intimated by the Accountant General (Audit) during the previous year, action taken report by the department on these aspects and number of audit observations communicated in draft audit reports/inspection reports issued during the previous year and gist of observations with substantial money value and those with serious internal control lapses”, sources informed.
As per CAG Regulation 197, the officer in charge of the auditable entity is required to send the reply to an audit note or inspection report within four weeks of its receipt. Even if it is not feasible to furnish the final replies to some of the observations in the audit note or inspection report within this time limit, the first reply shall not be delayed on that account and an interim reply may be given indicating the likely date by which the final reply shall be furnished.
Thereafter, Accountant General (Audit) shall give full consideration to the reply of the Government and the draft paragraph may be modified or settled or may not be included in the audit report in the light of the reply.
“Ever since the formation of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir substantial progress has been made in the settlement of pending audit paragraphs due to constant monitoring at the level of Chief Secretary and hopefully the audit paragraphs of Financial Year 2019-20 to 2021-22 will be settled within the time-frame fixed by the Government”, sources said.
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