PAC conference calls for tighter scrutiny of public spending, faster action on audit findings

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla lights the lamp to inaugurate the two-day Conference of Chairpersons of Public Accounts Committees (PAC) on November 4, 2026 | Photo Credit: ANI

A conference of Public Accounts Committee chairpersons from Parliament and 25 State legislatures has called for closer scrutiny of public spending, quicker action on audit findings, and the wider use of forensic tools to identify areas of governance requiring immediate legislative oversight, adopting a resolution to that effect at the end of a two-day meeting in Thiruvananthapuram.

“[Comptroller and Auditor General] CAG reports often reach us years after the money was spent, when officers have moved on and the trail has become untraceable. We were alarmed by the delays by a few governments in placing the reports before the House. There should be a robust mechanism to ensure that all this happens in a timebound manner,” said K.C. Venugopal, a senior Congress leader and chairman of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), speaking at the conference’s valedictory session.

In a post of X, he added: “Audit only matters when someone answers for what it finds. Accountability cannot end with a CAG report sitting on a shelf; it has to go on until the last rupee is accounted for and the last lapse is fixed.”

‘Debate PAC reports in legislatures’

The PACs are responsible for auditing government revenue and expenditure and examining CAG audit reports. The conference, which was built on the theme, ‘Audit, Accountability and Good Governance: The Evolving Role of PAC’, concluded with the adoption of an eight-point resolution.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who listened to the deliberations, said that the recommendations from the conference would provide a clear pathway to improve the functioning of PACs and ensure that public money is used efficiently and for the right purpose.

Mr. Venugopal, on behalf of the PAC chairpersons, requested the Speaker to ensure that the PAC reports are debated in Parliament and the Assemblies so that accountability is fixed by the government and the public would come to know of the valuable work of the PACs. He noted that a widely shared frustration by the PAC chairpersons was that the replies from Ministries and Departments to the PAC often come late, are incomplete, or do not come at all.

Rigorous monitoring and standardised timelines

The eight-point resolution committed PACs to ensuring that public funds are spent only for the purposes for which they were sanctioned and to safeguarding the public exchequer through rigorous monitoring. Among the key decisions was the creation of a digital platform to facilitate continuous peer learning, sharing of best practices, and procedural innovations among PACs across the country. The conference also resolved to work towards standardised timelines for governments to submit Action Taken Notes on audit observations and PAC recommendations.

To improve monitoring of audit findings, the participants called for the adoption of digital oversight systems on the lines of Parliament’s Audit Para Monitoring System (APMS) in all State and Union Territory legislatures.

The resolution further proposed strengthening the capacities of PAC secretariats and members through specialised training and analytical tools to help examine complex technical and financial issues. It recommended that State and Union Territory PACs consider holding at least three sittings a month and constituting sub-committees to clear pending audit observations.

‘Centre-State PACs must coordinate’

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The conference also urged closer collaboration with the CAG, including the use of advanced forensic tools to identify high-risk areas requiring legislative oversight. At the same time, it stressed that technological solutions should be adopted without compromising the integrity of and due process in legislatures.

Another major recommendation was for a committee of Central and State PACs to meet at least once a year to discuss the implementation of Centrally sponsored schemes. Mr. Venugopal cited the example of the long delays in disbursal of pre-Matric and post-Matric scholarships for Scheduled Caste students. The scholarship was in some cases delayed by up to seven years, he said, adding that there was also a lack of coordination between the Union and State governments in this matter.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Keralam Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, and Keralam Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan were among the other dignitaries present at the conference. 

Published - November 04, 2026 10:05 pm IST