30 TN departments have 6,170 audit inspection reports, 26,140 paras pending

C Shivakumar @ Chennai:

Thirty Tamil Nadu government departments have high pendency of 6,170 audit inspection reports, including 26,140 paras, dating as far back as 1991-92, according to data from Principal Accountant General (General & Social Sector Audit), which functions under the control of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.

According to information available with Express, Revenue department has the highest pendency of 1525 audit inspection reports, which includes 5714 paras (observations made by principal accountant general) ranging from as far as 1991-92 which is more than 25 to 26 years.

Top officials from the revenue department could not be contacted for their response. Similarly, the health department is ranked second and has 686 pending inspection reports, which include 3,148 paras dating as far as 2004-05 followed by rural development department having 521 pending inspection reports, including 2,425 paras since 2009-10.

It is learnt that the state finance (audit) department is now seeking a detailed note from all the departments for a discussion at the state level apex committee meeting.

Usually, all audit observations are sent to concerned ministry, department or Public Sector Units or state government companies for a response. The ministry or state government departments  has to respond to such ‘draft paragraphs’ as each observation is called, within a fixed time frame and may also discuss them with officers of the CAG.

Following the response, unresolved issues are included in an inspection report issued to the head of the audited entity (as well as the administrative head) with the most important issues being compiled into the audit report released to the public.

The final audit reports are then submitted to the Finance Ministry (or the state finance department) which then submits it to Parliament or the Governor of the State. All CAG reports are public documents. All state departments are also required to prepare ‘action taken’ notes on the various observations and recommendations made by the CAG and submit them to the Public Accounts Committee (a parliamentary committee which oversees government finances) or the Committee on Public Undertakings (which oversees the finances and functioning of government companies).

However, 30 state departments have high pendency of inspection report and paras or observation made by the Principal Accountant General (General & Social Sector Audit).

It is also learnt that a total of 1,250 action taken notes (ATNs) are pending from eight departments as on March 31, 2018. It is learnt that Public accounts committee (PAC) recommendations are awaiting finality due to want of ATNs from the departments. The highest pendency is from Revenue and Disaster management (182) followed by Finance department (175) and health and family welfare department (152).

Factfile:

Inspection reports (IRs) pending:

1.  Health: 686

Paras pending: 3,148

Earliest year of pending: 2004-05



2.  Revenue: 1525

Paras pending: 5714

Earliest year of pending: 1991-92



3.  Rural Development: 521

Paras pending: 2425

Earliest year of pending: 2009-10



4.  Education: 506

Paras pending: 1806

Earliest year of pending: 2007-08



5.  Municipal Administration: 404

Paras Pending: 2,044

Earliest Year of Pending: 2010-11