Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament emphasised that PACs must evolve with changing times to ensure accountability as public money moves through increasingly complex channels. Observing that PACs translate audit findings presented to legislatures into meaningful accountability, he stressed the need for timely audits of public schemes and the prompt laying of audit reports before the Houses. He expressed concern over delayed, incomplete, or absent replies from ministries and departments, and called upon the executive to furnish complete responses promptly.
Emphasising that the work of PACs must reach the people, he suggested that at least one PAC report be taken up for discussion in Parliament and each state legislature to strengthen accountability. He also called for better coordination between the Centre and states in scrutinising Centrally Sponsored Schemes and proposed at least one annual meeting between Union and state PACs devoted to these schemes. Underlining the importance of specialised staff, training, and capacity building, he advocated greater use of technology, including a dashboard to track audit paragraphs and action taken.
Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly; Deputy Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly and the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of Kerala also remained present on this occasion.
The two-day conference witnessed extensive and constructive deliberations on the theme “Audit, Accountability, and Good Governance – The Evolving Role of the PAC”, with a particular focus on strengthening financial oversight, improving audit follow-up mechanisms, embracing technological innovations, and enhancing the institutional effectiveness of Public Accounts Committees.
