Public audit ensures funds are well-spent for development works: J&K LG Sinha

Jammu, Nov 24 (PTI) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said public audit helps with last-mile delivery and ensures that funds are spent well.

Addressing the closing ceremony of ‘Audit Week’ at Convention Centre here, Sinha said auditors should release their reports with as soon as possible so that action related to evaluation of policies and programmes is taken without any delay.

Government departments must take quick action on any shortcomings “in the era of reforms”, he said.

“Public audit ensures that every rupee is well spent for the purpose of bringing about change in the lives of people standing in the last queue of development,” Sinha said.

The LG said that the week-long audit event provided an opportunity to reflect on the critical role the audit community plays in contributing to good governance.

One of the earliest institutions established to bring transparency, accountability and honesty in public life is the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the Lt Governor said.

“Our forefathers while drafting the Constitution had a clear opinion that the Auditor General would be the most important officer in the democratic processes”, he said.

“Audit observation and recommendation should be seen as a guide so that every penny of public exchequer improves the living standards of the common man,” the LG said.

“All officers should change their thinking of looking at audit reports and audit observations as criticism of their work. If you read these reports carefully and follow the recommendations of the audit community, necessary improvements can be brought in governance”, he added.

The LG said artificial intelligence and knowledge-based expert systems has facilitated audit risk evaluation, internal control evaluation and audit planning, but has also triggered other new challenges due to concerns about data security and minimum human control.

Auditors have to pay special attention to the safety and security of IT systems, he said.