Many Government servants/officers are involved in some scam or the other - if proper examination and inquiries of Audit Paras are conducted and action taken to launch prosecution/criminal cases, without fear or favor, many may loose their jobs. But....?
- But CAG does not have power to launch prosecution process. Why not empower him with powers like they are proposing to empower LA?
http://cag.gov.in - Pl have a look at the chapter "Comptroller and Auditor General's (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act - as amended from time to time - it will clarify whether CAG is within his powers and scope of audit for commenting on subject matters of varied interests.
- CAG's men are the watchdogs of public money - He and his hounds at States level have the powers of taking up any transaction for suo moto examination in public interest - Even a newspaper report can become his unearthing scams etc.
- When an Audit is planned, there will be preliminary study of the subject matter, understanding the basics, pilot study at ground level, test checks, discussions with deptl. officers, discussions with experts picked from his panel of technocrats, scientists pool, financial experts, their views are scrutinised and are superimposed to the audit points unearthed, elaborate documentation follows, a draft para is floated and sent to all concerned, their views are considered, escalations of further discussions at higher level takes place, if satisified, points/paras are either dropped or modified, final report sent to the highest level and another chance given to immediately rectify or take immediate action and show results thereof so that the audit objection can be dropped after verification whether the public money is safe / back in treasury.
- But his Audit Reports with all the elaborate preparations and documentations as proof of imprudent spending/misuse/infructuous/ wasteful/ misappropriations and other clever means adopted by certain unscrupulous employees of government that are remitted for examination by the Public Accounts Committee ARE NOT GETTING THE DUE ATTENTION.
- Like Lok Ayukta, CAG needs to be empowered with quasi-judicial powers or even prosecuting powers.
- Even if previous 60 years' Audit Reports are taken seriously, examined properly, prosecution on fast tract is launched, nearly 1/3rd of those who are still in service and elevated periodically despite being involved in some scam or the other as mentioned in the Audit Reports, WILL HAVE TO BE SUMMARILY DISMISSED FROM SERVICE.
- Anybody listening?
-Vasanthkumar Mysoremath, IAAD (Retd)
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