Theory of CAG, CVC causing policy paralysis a bogey: Vinod Rai

Praises Modi, says bureaucrats can deliver given the space as is being provided by his govt

Dismissing the hypothesis that investigating and auditing agencies are responsible for policy paralysis, former CAG Vinod Rai today said bureaucrats can deliver given the space and empowerment as is being provided by the Narendra Modi government.

Praising Modi's administrative skills, Rai said: "Now, story that emerges is that here is the administration which is willing to provide that space.

"Long term economic growth whatever, wherever it may be cannot be sustainable unless it is nurtured through governance."

After taking over as Prime Minister last month, Modi assured the bureaucracy of protection against malicious prosecution for bona fide decisions.

He assured secretaries to the government to approach him or mail to him directly, with inputs and ideas on any issue, for deciding matters quickly.

During Rai's tenure, government auditor CAG had come out with reports that allocation of public resources, telecom spectrum and coal blocks, by the UPA regime had caused notional losses of lakhs of crores to the exchequer.

In a reference probably to the previous UPA government charge that investigative agencies were hampering growth, Rai said at an event here that "all the stories of CBI, CVC or CAG etc etc causing a policy paralysis is a bogey. It's total alibi for non-performance.

"There is no reason why they (bureaucrats) should not deliver given space, given the empowerment. They have ability to do so given the confidence that yes go ahead and perform."

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram had come down heavily on investigating agencies and CAG for "overstepping" their limits by attempting to convert bonafide executive decisions into either crimes or abuse of authority.

"Unfortunately, there are a number of cases where investigating agencies and other authorities like Comptroller and Auditor General, have overstepped their limits and attempted to convert bonafide executive decisions into either crime of abuse of authority," he had said.