CAG Shashi Kant Sharma seeks RTI powers to access government records
The CAG has listed a one-page note on how denial of information has been causing problems for the audits.
By Pradeep Thakur, TNN | Updated:
NEW DELHI: The Comptroller and Auditor General ( CAG) wants the Narendra Modi government to give it Right to Information (RTI) powers as it has been facing problems in obtaining details relevant to its audits of government finances and decision making.
CAG Shashi Kant Sharma has written a letter to finance minister Arun Jaitley demanding that the national auditor should be given RTI powers to access information and a penal provision should be included in the existing CAG's duties and powers act to make it mandatory for furnishing of information in a time bound manner.
"We believe amendments to the existing CAG's DPC Act (Duties and Powers Act) have been necessitated due to changes in funding pattern of schemes, projects with increased role envisaged for NGOs and public private partnership projects; difficulties in accessing information and records of the audited entities by auditors and absence of enforcement powers with the CAG," Sharma wrote in his June 16 letter sent to the FM.
Sharma also pointed out "undue delays in placing of audit reports in parliament and state legislatures." The CAG has listed a one-page note on how denial of information has been causing problems for the audits.
He has demanded amendment in the CAG's DPC Act, 1971 directing a government official to appear before a designated CAG officer in view of audit queries raised. Sharma also wants to make it mandatory for government officials to provide the auditor signed copies of all minutes related to government decisions and to impose a time limit for production of records.
Sharma, in his letter to Jaitley, has said that the proposed amendments have been under consideration of the finance ministry for five years now. "In view of the inadequacies mentioned above and the need to ensure that the financial oversight mandate of parliament is exercised effectively, it is requested that the proposed amendments to the DPC Act may be introduced in Parliament at the earliest," CAG has said.
A proposed draft bill for amending the CAG's DPC Act was submitted to the FM first in November 2009 after an "in-principle" agreement by the finance ministry.
The CAG made subsequent changes in the draft bill as suggested by the FM and sent a revised bill on February 28, 2011 to the FM after consultations. But the UPA government failed to bring the amendment bill in parliament.
CAG Shashi Kant Sharma has written a letter to finance minister Arun Jaitley demanding that the national auditor should be given RTI powers to access information and a penal provision should be included in the existing CAG's duties and powers act to make it mandatory for furnishing of information in a time bound manner.
"We believe amendments to the existing CAG's DPC Act (Duties and Powers Act) have been necessitated due to changes in funding pattern of schemes, projects with increased role envisaged for NGOs and public private partnership projects; difficulties in accessing information and records of the audited entities by auditors and absence of enforcement powers with the CAG," Sharma wrote in his June 16 letter sent to the FM.
Sharma also pointed out "undue delays in placing of audit reports in parliament and state legislatures." The CAG has listed a one-page note on how denial of information has been causing problems for the audits.
He has demanded amendment in the CAG's DPC Act, 1971 directing a government official to appear before a designated CAG officer in view of audit queries raised. Sharma also wants to make it mandatory for government officials to provide the auditor signed copies of all minutes related to government decisions and to impose a time limit for production of records.
Sharma, in his letter to Jaitley, has said that the proposed amendments have been under consideration of the finance ministry for five years now. "In view of the inadequacies mentioned above and the need to ensure that the financial oversight mandate of parliament is exercised effectively, it is requested that the proposed amendments to the DPC Act may be introduced in Parliament at the earliest," CAG has said.
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A proposed draft bill for amending the CAG's DPC Act was submitted to the FM first in November 2009 after an "in-principle" agreement by the finance ministry.
The CAG made subsequent changes in the draft bill as suggested by the FM and sent a revised bill on February 28, 2011 to the FM after consultations. But the UPA government failed to bring the amendment bill in parliament.
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