Meghalaya’s various government departments don’t give a hoot about the audit reports published by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.
As per the latest CAG, Meghalaya Social Economic Sectors Audit Report for 2020-22 report tabled in the just concluded autumn session of the assembly, the departments remained mum even on Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Reports tabled in the house throughout the many past years, with few of the department also even denying even to reply back to say what kind of actions they have taken to rectify the financial irregularities pointed out in the reports and the PACs in the past.
The CAG report in fact called for the state government to take steps to address the issue of inaction from the departments.
A whooping 3,639 paragraphs are yet to be replied to by the various departments of the state over a period of 33 years.
The CAG report on Social and Economic Sectors for the year ended 31 March 2022 pointed out that “analysis of the position of outstanding paragraphs showed that 3,639 paragraphs relating to the period from 1988-89 to March 2022 were outstanding.”
Out of this 1,789 paragraphs are more than five years old. The report said that out of the total 3,639 outstanding paragraphs pertaining to 700 Inspection Reports ( IR), the CAG was yet to get even the first reply against 792 paragraphs pertaining to 116 IRs from the audited departments.
“Lack of action on IRs and audit paragraphs for long periods is fraught with the risk of perpetuating financial and compliance irregularities pointed out in those reports. It may also result in dilution of internal controls in the governance process as the irregularities pointed out in audit are not acted upon by those in charge of the governance process,” the CAG said.
This, it said, results in inefficient and ineffective delivery of public goods and services, fraud, corruption and loss to the public exchequer.
The CAG advised the state government, that it needs to institute an effective mechanism to review and take expeditious action to address the concerns flagged in the IRs and audit paragraphs.
The CAG said that that all Heads of Departments (HoDs) are required to send their responses to draft audit paragraphs proposed for inclusion in the CAG’s Report within six weeks of their receipt. But many did not reply and therefore could not be included in this annual report.
It said that during 2020-22, ten draft paragraphs were forwarded to Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Commissioner & Secretary of the departments concerned, drawing their attention to the audit findings and requesting them to send responses within the stipulated time. The matters contained in these draft paragraphs were brought to their personal attention through demi-official letters, stating that since these paragraphs were considered for inclusion in the CAG’s audit report, it would be desirable to include their comments/responses to the audit findings. Despite this, three of the departments did not furnish reply to four draft paragraphs as on the date of this report.
Further, it was pointed out that the Administrative Departments are required to take suitable action on the recommendations made in the Report of the PAC/COPU (Committee on Public Undertakings) presented to the state legislature and submit action taken notes (ATNs) indicating action taken or proposed to be taken on these recommendations. The PAC specified the time frame for submission of ATNs as six weeks up to its 32nd Report (December 1997) and six months in its 33rd Report (June 2000).
The CAG further pointed out that a review of 17 reports of the PAC involving 15 departments presented to the legislature between April 1995 and March 2020 revealed that none of these departments had submitted the ATNs to the PAC as of March 2022. Similarly, review of six reports of COPU involving four Departments, viz Transport, Commerce & Industries, Tourism and Power presented to the legislature between April 2008 and March 2020 revealed that out of 18 ATNs received, only seven had been sent to the Assembly Secretariat as of March 2022.
The CAG lamented that they had no idea what was the “fate of the recommendations contained in the Reports of PAC/COPU” and “whether they were being acted upon by the administrative departments could not be ascertained in audit.”
Moreover, it was not only the government bureaucracy which was lackadaisical about financial discipline. Even legislators were not too interested in strengthening the financial frameworks as the CAG pointed out that in 2020-21 and 2021-22, PAC and COPU, (which are chaired by MLAs) did not submit any report to the State.
