Chairpersons and members of Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of Parliament and state and Union Territory legislatures on Wednesday adopted a resolution calling for stronger digital oversight, standardised timelines for action on audit findings and measures to clear pending observations.
The resolution was adopted at the conclusion of the two-day conference in Thiruvananthapuram, following deliberations on “Audit, accountability and good governance – The evolving role of Public Accounts Committee”.
Participants resolved to uphold rigorous scrutiny of public expenditure to ensure that funds were legally available and used for the specific purposes for which they were charged, safeguarding the public exchequer.
The resolution proposed a digital portal to support continuous peer learning, exchange of best practices and sharing of procedural innovations among parliamentary, state and Union Territory PACs.
It also called for an action plan to prescribe standardised timelines for submitting Action Taken Notes on audit paragraphs and PAC recommendations across states and Union Territories.
Participants sought the development of digital oversight systems, such as the Audit Para Monitoring System, in all state and Union Territory PACs to strengthen monitoring of audit observations.
To improve institutional capacity, the resolution called for regular training and orientation programmes for PAC secretariats through specialised institutes, alongside analytical tools to help members examine complex technical and financial issues.
It proposed considering at least three sittings each month and establishing subcommittees in state and Union Territory PACs to examine and clear pending audit observations.
The resolution also sought closer collaboration with the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General to use advanced forensic tools and identify high-risk areas of governance requiring immediate legislative oversight.
Participants emphasised that digital solutions should be used while preserving the integrity and sanctity of legislative due process.
(PIB)
