Thiruvananthapuram : Delivering Welcome Address, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament of India, Shri K.C. Venugopal, underscored the need to strengthen legislative financial scrutiny to ensure that public expenditure translates into tangible outcomes, improved service delivery and meaningful benefits for citizens. Emphasising that accountability must go beyond the mere examination of expenditure, he called for a more outcome-oriented approach to parliamentary oversight, ensuring that every public rupee is spent judiciously and delivers its intended purpose. He also proposed that at least one PAC Report, along with the Government’s Action Taken thereon, be discussed during every Session of Parliament. He also underscored the importance of timely audits, balanced coverage of various sectors and closer scrutiny of flagship welfare programmes and major infrastructure projects to ensure that public resources serve the larger public interest.
Shri Venugopal further stressed the need for prompt departmental responses, time-bound corrective measures and sustained follow-up on the Committee’s recommendations to ensure that audit observations translate into concrete action. Highlighting the significance of non-partisan scrutiny, continuous capacity-building and the effective adoption of digital systems, he called upon the delegates to transform the deliberations of the Conference into meaningful and lasting improvements in legislative oversight. Shri Venugopal also emphasised that robust financial scrutiny, coupled with timely corrective action and unwavering accountability, is indispensable to ensuring the responsible utilisation of public funds, strengthening public trust and advancing the larger ideals of good governance and democratic accountability.
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