On Audit Diwas, celebrated on 16 November, India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) K. Sanjay Murthy unveiled a new set of national audit priorities. This event marks the 166th anniversary of the appointment of India's first Auditor-General in 1860. The updated priorities are designed to align with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 while addressing evolving governance challenges.
The CAG has revitalized audits of Urban Local Governments (ULGs), recognizing that over 50% of India's population is projected to be urban by 2047. The audit will cover 101 major cities under the theme "Ease of Living," assessing infrastructure, environmental sustainability, service delivery efficiency, and local economic growth. This initiative aims to impact over 40 crore urban citizens and guide policy reforms.
The audit of the MSME sector focuses on enhancing the ease of doing business. Given their significant contribution to employment, exports, and regional growth, the audit will address paperless processes, government interface efficiency, and grievance-redressal mechanisms. The objective is to identify procedural bottlenecks and boost MSME competitiveness.
The CAG emphasizes the importance of human capital development through a pan-India assessment of early-grade learning outcomes. This audit supports the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission, crucial for achieving Viksit Bharat 2047, in alignment with the NEP 2020.
Under the PM Gati Shakti framework, a comprehensive review of port connectivity, railways, freight corridors, logistics terminals, and inter-agency coordination is planned. This audit aims to evaluate readiness for seamless multimodal transport and reduce logistics costs through extensive consultations with relevant authorities and operators.
The CAG has launched the CAG-Connect portal, a real-time digital ecosystem linking 10 lakh auditee entities with audit offices, enhancing traceability, transparency, and workflow efficiency. Additionally, the development of CAG-LLM, an indigenous AI-driven Large Language Model, is underway to unlock institutional knowledge and enable smarter audits.
In partnership with IIT Madras, the CAG is training officers in data science, AI, cybersecurity, and IT auditing. The initiative aims to train 5,000 officers over five years, with 250 already trained, ensuring a future-ready audit workforce.
During the Audit Diwas celebrations, Vice-President C P Radhakrishnan highlighted the CAG's role in promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance in public resource management. He praised the institution's transformation of audit processes into a forward-looking instrument of reform and innovation.
Strengthening digital capabilities, institutionalizing AI-supported auditing, expanding audits to include climate resilience, enhancing stakeholder consultations, and building workforce capacity are crucial steps forward.
The CAG's renewed audit priorities signify a proactive, real-time approach to future-ready auditing. By leveraging technology and strengthening institutional capacity, the CAG aims to enhance transparency, accountability, and governance effectiveness in India's journey toward Viksit Bharat 2047.
Kutos : AI Assistant!
