Panchayati Raj bodies and mines to be audited under CAG: Girish Chandra Murmu

BHUBANESWAR: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) will oversee the audit of Panchayati Raj institutions in view of huge funds sanctioned by the Centre for implementation of welfare schemes by the local bodies. Announcing this here on Monday, CAG Girish Chandra Murmu said that guidance by the CAG in the audit of Panchayati Raj institutions will help in the detection of anomalies and suggestion of corrections in implementation of schemes. The CAG guidance will help in real time audit of the local bodies in the State.

Murmu was speaking at the inauguration of the new office building of the Principal Accountant General at Keshari Nagar here. Elaborating on the issue, he said, “Expenditure of audit of the rural bodies is now done by their own auditors. We will handhold them, guide them for a real time audit.” The CAG said that the Centre allocates huge funds to the rural bodies for implementation of development and other schemes. The audit will also find out how the funds are being spent.

Besides, Murmu said that the CAG will conduct natural resources accounting (NRA) in Odisha and  look into the expenditure incurred on the extraction of natural resources from mines. The CAG will find out whether the deposits extracted from the mines are profitable for the State. The CAG will account the natural resources, audit its value, expenditure done in its development and profit and loss incurred through natural resources. The retired Odia IAS officer took charge as CAG in August 2020 after resigning as Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor.