Punjab audit plan for 2014-15 unveiled

Punjab audit plan for 2014-15 will cover NABARD-assisted projects, public distribution system, mini hydel projects, VAT implementation, among other departments.
During a meeting of the State Audit Advisory Board for Punjab which was held here yesterday, officials of AG (Audit) deliberated upon ways to make audit more focused to not only make it a tool of corrective nature, but also provide meaningful indicatives for public at large.
Senior officers of AG (Audit) Punjab made a presentation at the meeting, explaining the nature and scope of audit activities conducted by the department.
It was informed in the meeting that under the performance audit, it is planned to cover several projects in the economic and non-economic sectors -- social sector, revenue sector and general sector.

"The projects include NABARD assisted projects for construction of roads and bridges, AYUSH department, PDS, total sanitation campaign, mini hydel projects and implementation of VAT in Punjab excise department," officials said.
Under finance audit, supplementary audit of accounts of government companies, special purpose vehicles, societies, agencies, panchayati raj institutions, urban local bodies as well as separate audit report of autonomous bodies/ corporations will be carried out.

It has also been planned to cover 257 urban local bodies and panchayati raj institutions including 3 municipal corporations, 12 municipal councils, 4 town councils & zila parishads each, 14 panchayat samities and 220 gram panchayats.

It was also informed that Compliance Audit in 2014-15 was planned for 1,950 entities in the state.
The state level Audit Advisory Board was constituted on the lines of Audit Advisory Board set up by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India at the national level.
The Board consists of 18 members which also includes experts from various disciplines. At least two meetings are held every year -- one at the time of finalising audit plans and another when the audit reports are in the processing stage.
AG (Audit), Punjab, Ajaib Singh chaired the meeting which was attended by experts from various fields such as academia, PSUs and Reforms Commission.