New Delhi, Oct 28 Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India G C Murmu on Thursday said that post Covid compliance audits by Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) have helped governments in improving pandemic management strategies, allowing them to make midterm adjustments.
Murmu was addressing the 18th virtual annual meeting of the Compliance Audit Subcommittee (CAS) of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) here. Murmu outlined a 3I approach Innovating, Institutionalizing and Integrating adopting new technologies and digital innovations, institutionalizing standards and exploring synergies in audit to meet the challenge of building capacities in Supreme Audit Institutions. He also emphasized the role of compliance audit in building strong and stable institutions by improving public accountability and transparency.
Murmu, in his capacity as Chair of CAS, highlighted the role of compliance audit in ensuring public accountability and transparency through deterrence and oversight of public sector entities. "Compliance to rules and regulations is a necessary pre-requisite for strong and stable institutions, efficient and effective implementation of policies and programmes and overall governance," he said.
He mentioned that it was also an occasion for Supreme Audit Institutions to revisit their strategies and methodologies in conducting audits in changed circumstances, particularly the role played by digital transformation in all areas of audit.
Murmu appreciated the resilience displayed by SAIs in handling the changed environment and supporting the Governments and the excellent efforts by the INTOSAI Development Initiative and other INTOSAI organs who came forward to provide guidance and resources to support the auditing community. He pointed out that the spirit of the INTOSAI has not been so strongly felt as it was in the last year.
The meeting discussed the work done by members of CAS during 2020-21. Supreme Audit Institutions of Hungary, Azerbaijan and India presented country papers on post Covid audit efforts. The meeting discussed activities to be included in the next work plan of 2022-23.
The Compliance Audit Subcommittee (CAS) is one of the three Subcommittees under the Professional Standards Committee (PSC) of INTOSAI. It was established in 2004 in Budapest with the mandate of giving practical guidance on how compliance audits should be planned, executed and reported on as also to develop INTOSAI guidelines on compliance audit.
SAI India took over the Chairmanship of CAS from SAI Norway in November 2016. The CAS has 20 members, and two observers (AFROSAI-E and SAI Thailand). The Subcommittee meets annually and the meeting is hosted by one of the member SAIs.
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