Government and CAG not enemies: Chidambaram

Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said that the government will work with the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG), the country's top auditor, to erase the impression that the government and the CAG were adversaries, and restore trust and confidence in all institutions of government.

Speaking at a conference of accountant generals organised by the CAG, Chidambaram said the statutory auditor and the government are being seen as adversaries after some of the recent audits.

In fact, there is perceived to be a virtual war between the government and the CAG over some of its recent audits, particularly in the matter of coal block allocations to private companies at prices which the CAG has said were far too low, leading to what has become dubbed as the 'coalgate' scam.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his UPA government have rejected the CAG's observations as "misleading" and "flawed."

"Unfortunately some dissonance has crept into the public discourse and for reasons which are inexplicable, the CAG and the government have been cast as adversarial to each other. Perhaps this is in the nature and functions of the government and CAG," Chidambaram said.

"It is my intention and desire as minister of finance to work with CAG to erase the impression of adversaries and restore trust and confidence in all institutions of government."