Post COVID compliance audits by supreme audit institutions helped improve pandemic management: CAG Girish Chandra Murmu

Comptroller and Auditor General Girish Chandra Murmu on Thursday said that post-COVID compliance audits prepared by supreme audit institutions have helped governments in improving pandemic management. He was addressing the 18th Virtual Annual Meeting of Compliance Audit Sub-committee (CAS) of INTOSAI, an international body of audit professionals which was established in 2004 in Budapest. India is currently chair of the CAS.

According to an official release on Thursday, Murmu outlined a 3I approach - Innovating, Institutionalising and Integrating - adopting new technologies and digital innovations, institutionalising standards and exploring synergies in audit to meet the challenge of building capacities in the supreme audit institutions.

He also emphasised the role of compliance audit in building strong and stable institutions by improving public accountability and transparency.


Further, he pointed out that post COVID compliance audits by the supreme audit institutions have helped governments in improving pandemic management strategies, allowing them to make mid-term adjustments.

It was also an occasion for supreme audit institutions to revisit their strategies and methodologies in conducting audits in changed circumstances, particularly the role played by digital transformation in all areas of audit, he added.

In his address, Murmu appreciated the resilience displayed by supreme audit institutions in handling the changed environment and supporting the governments and the excellent efforts by the INTOSAI Development Initiative and other INTOSAI organs who came forward to provide guidance and resources to support the auditing community.

As per the release, the meeting discussed the work done by members of CAS during 2020-21. Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) of Hungary, Azerbaijan and India presented country papers on post COVID audit efforts. The meeting also discussed activities to be included in the next work plan of 2022-23.

CAS has 20 members, and two observers (AFROSAI-E and SAI Thailand). The Sub-committee meets annually and the meeting is hosted by one of the member SAIs. PTI NKD CS RAM