PACs Conference seeks amendment of CAG Act

New Delhi: The All India Conference of PACs of Parliament and State/UT Legislatures on Wednesday stressed on the need for complete independence of CAG by making it a part of PACs and on need for harmony between C&AG at the Centre and State level.
The Conference also urged the Legislature to recognize that CAG works on their behalf and there is a need to protect it whenever it comes under attack. There is a tendency of the State government officials to refuse or delay in handing over records and files to audit, it pointed out.
It was also deliberated upon that the Government may have the tendency to keep Audit out of Government spending like funding of NGOs, Public-Private Model of development, etc.
The two-day conference was inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and the former Speaker Purno A Sangma gave the valedictory address on Wednesday.
The Conference saw an impressive attendance of chairpersons from 28 States/UTs. The Conference highlighted the changing role of PACs and the structural and external challenges faced by it.
It also brought to light the fact that during 15th Lok Sabha a suggestion was made by the then PACs that the Committee should be consulted before appointment of the CAG and CAG should be part of legislature like in UK and Australia. The officials present at the conference said that there is a need to amend the CAG Act to this effect.
Purno in his speech said that the chairpersons should take institutional responsibility of the PACs as the highest public financial accountability authority. This will help in more transparency and accountability in the country, he added.