CAG to audit rural development expenditure
27 Oct 2011
The comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) will start scrutinizing all expenditure incurred in rural development works, beginning next week, union minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh said today, adding that people have a right to know how the money was being spent.
"This is absolutely essential when hundred thousand crore of rupees are spent by the government all over the country for rural development. The people have a right to know...So the expenditure has to be subjected to CAG audit," Ramesh told reporters in New Delhi.
CAG, Ramesh said, would also conduct a performance audit of schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) in eleven states irrespective of the political party in power there.
The minister said he already had three rounds of discussions with the CAG and it has been agreed that a special accountants general would be assigned for auditing rural funds.
"I will demand the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the expenditure of rural development funds," the minister said.
