Speaker flags audit objections left unresolved for 10 to 20 years

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday asked the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of Parliament and state legislatures to make sure "every rupee" of public money is accounted for and used for the purpose it was sanctioned.

He was inaugurating a two-day Conference of Chairpersons of Public Accounts Committees in Thiruvananthapuram. Birla said transparency and accountability are cornerstones of democracy and that the real measure of public spending is the difference it makes to ordinary citizens' lives.

Unresolved audit objections

Birla expressed concern that audit observations remain unresolved for 10, 15 or even 20 years, which he said raises serious questions about the system. He asked for a concrete, time-bound action plan and for the Union and state governments to strengthen monitoring, review and follow-up.

Beyond the accounts

He said committees should look beyond figures and utilisation certificates. For infrastructure projects they should, where appropriate, visit sites to check quality and timely completion, and for welfare schemes they should examine actual impact. He said technology, data analytics and artificial intelligence can help spot trends and possible irregularities.

Birla also pointed to the convention that a Member of the Opposition chairs the PAC, calling it a sign of the maturity of Indian democracy. The committee's purpose, he said, is "not to criticise any individual or government" but to ensure funds are not misused or wasted.

Chairman's proposal

PAC Chairman K. C. Venugopal proposed that at least one PAC report, with the government's action taken on it, be discussed in every session of Parliament. He also asked for timely audits and closer scrutiny of flagship welfare programmes and major infrastructure projects.

Keralam Chief Minister V. D. Satheesan, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh and the state's Assembly Speaker also addressed the session. A conference souvenir was released.

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Source: official release by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (03 NOV 2026 3:51PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: EVERY RUPEE OF PUBLIC MONEY MUST BE ACCOUNTED FOR AND UTILISED FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE: LOK SABHA SPEAKER.