Tuesday’ meeting involving the Governor, DCM and Chairman of PAC has agreed that Arunachal Pradesh must strive to adhere to the laid out norms of financial prudence so as to ensure that future CAG reports are ‘unblemished’ to the highest degree. This is an important decision since a negative CAG observation is always considered a ‘blot’ on the part of the organization for which it is prepared and in case of governments, whether be it central or state, it’s always regarded as a downgrade of honour and prestige.

The institution  of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India  has remained hugely important in the context of the nation’s federal character and  it’s the apex authority responsible for external and internal audits of expenses of  both central and state governments besides other  public authorities, all those who spend public funds. It’s independence existence and freedom from any intervention by any governmental machinery in functioning has been guaranteed by theConstitution . Playing the all-important role of upholding the provisions of the Constitution and laws enacted by Parliament in the field of financial administration, CAG is thus  often termed as the ‘chief guardian of public purse’. During recent times, importance of this institution has increased to much higher levels compared to the picture even a few decades back since newer and ingenious methods of financial corruption and maladministration has  evolved  which are extremely difficult to detect. These ‘new-age’ malafide actions have their immediate reflections on the quality of governance and ironically the ultimate sufferers are the public, since it is their tax-paid money which are being misused. And the most reliable rescuer to whom the nation always looks forward is the CAG, who enjoys an unbridled authority to challenge any improper exercise of discretion by authorities and make unbiased comments on them.

Over the decades CAG’s reports had pinpointed financial irregularities for various stakeholders among which there are many state governments including Arunachal Pradesh. In a most recent case which had drawn wide media attention, CAG in its report on GST for 2017-18 tabled in parliament last month has drawn attention to several lacunae in the regime. But the silver lining is that, these audit reports actually serve as a tool for initiating the necessary rectification process and there are countless examples when various governments had been compelled to follow the statutory financial guidelines and thus got benefited in the long run.

It will be encouraging if Arunachal strives to pursue a financial regimen that would draw little or no CAG glance. In any case, it is always a sense of assurance for the common people as watchful eyes of this watchdog are ever awake.  

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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