Government banking on CAG to improve transparency, accountability: PM

The government is committed to strengthening the institution of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), as part of a broader effort to improve transparency and accountability in the work of the government, prime minister Manmohan Singh said today.

The importance of credible and effective institutions like the CAG in ensuring public accountability and oversight cannot be over-emphasised, especially in the light of the global economic crisis that erupted in 2008, he said.

Speaking at the 150th anniversary celebrations of the CAG in New Delhi, the prime minister said the government looked forward to the institution for advice and guidance in the years ahead.

Traditional, time tested ways of doing things may prove inadequate in the face of rising aspirations and mounting pressure for quick and efficient delivery of public services.

But, while those in the government grapple with different and better ways of doing things, audit, with its vast experience and deep insight, can contribute significantly to revamping systems and procedures in government to meet the challenges of this 21st century, he said.

Increasing outlays in education, in health, in rural development, have placed tremendous demands on the country's systems of governance and service delivery, which must need to change quickly to meet the new requirements of the situation, he pointed out.