Consider auditors as facilitators of good governance, not critics: Prez Murmu
President Droupadi Murmu said the ability to compete on the basis of ethics should continuously increase in all enterprises and activities of the country
NEW DELHI: Auditors should not be considered as ‘critics’ but facilitators of good governance, President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday, while adding that the entire team of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is expected to contribute as a controller and an examiner who is both a companion and a guide in the country’s developmental journey.
Speaking at the third ‘Audit Diwas’, organised by the CAG at its headquarters in New Delhi the President lauded the federal auditor for steps taken in auditing such as use of artificial intelligence and other technological tools.
“Removing obstacles in achieving the national goals of accelerated growth and development while ensuring financial propriety and legality is the touchstone of effective contribution by every institution and individual responsible for good governance, including the CAG. The auditors should be considered as facilitators of good governance, not critics. They should be considered guides whose scrutiny teaches us to follow the right path,” she said.
The President said that the entire team of CAG is expected to contribute as a controller and an examiner who is both a companion and a guide in the country’s developmental journey. “CAG team will have an important role in making India the third largest economy in the world,” she said.
She further lauded the CAG for its work and use of technology. “Under the leadership of CAG, government’s audit community has made significant contributions in strengthening integrity, governance and system building. I am happy to note that CAG has taken many forward-looking steps, including the establishment of the Centre for Data Management and Analytics, in which digital technology and other modern methods are being used in line with the future,” the President said.
Referring to India’s growing position in the world community, the President said it is also visible in the field of audit. “The emphasis on the issues of blue economy and responsible artificial intelligence during India’s presidency of Supreme Audit Institutions 20 (SAI 20) is a good effort to prepare a roadmap for the future”.
Earlier, speaking at the event, CAG Girish Chandra Murmu said concerted efforts of the entire organisation resulted in 183 audit reports covering the entire gamut of government activities, being tabled in the Parliament and the state legislatures during 2022-23.
On use of technology for audits, the CAG said effective April 2023, “we have transitioned to 100 percent digital auditing processes, utilizing our unique enterprise-wide audit process and knowledge management IT System, creating a single source of truth for our audit activities.”
