Parliamentary committees should make executive accountable: LS speaker

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Sunday said parliamentary committees should make the executive accountable for the development of the country.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the two-day centenary celebrations of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Birla also said the PAC's relevance as well as people's hopes and expectations from it have also increased over a period of time.

"Therefore, it is the responsibility of the PAC to evolve itself and to be flexible in their processes and procedures," Birla was quoted as saying in an official statement issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat.

The committees should endeavour to work for the benefit and welfare of the last person standing in the queue, Birla said.

"The committees should make the executive accountable for the development of the country and ensure transparency in the working of the government," the speaker said.

He also suggested that a common digital platform of the Public Accounts Committees of parliament and state legislatures should be created for sharing their best practices and monitor execution of their recommendations.

Birla further suggested that parliamentary committees should directly interact with people and take inputs from them.

The more they interact with people, the more effective and meaningful their recommendations will be, he said.