Committee overseeing public accounts
Strengthening the Public Accounts Committee in India: Proposals for Enhanced Oversight
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), often referred to as the "mother of all parliamentary committees" in India, is undergoing proposals for reinforcement to boost its effectiveness in overseeing public finances.
The proposed changes aim to provide continuity, technical expertise, dedicated support, and accountability.
Longer Member Tenures
In a bid to enhance continuity and institutional memory, the tenure of PAC members is proposed to be extended beyond the current one-year term. This extension is expected to improve the effectiveness of oversight by allowing members to delve deeper into complex financial and audit issues.
Hiring Expert Members
Appointing independent experts or specialists with technical knowledge alongside elected members is another proposal. These experts would bring their expertise to better analyze complex financial and audit issues, thereby strengthening the committee's ability to scrutinize government spending.
Own Secretariat
Establishing a dedicated PAC secretariat independent of existing parliamentary administrative structures would provide focused research, analysis, and logistical assistance. This would enable the committee to function more efficiently and effectively.
Performance Metrics
Introducing metrics to monitor how thoroughly and promptly government departments implement PAC recommendations would improve accountability and impact assessment. This would ensure that the committee's recommendations are not only made but also implemented effectively.
These enhancements are part of ongoing discussions to make PAC a more robust and results-oriented parliamentary watchdog over public finances. However, as of now, official government documents outlining the formal adoption of these proposals have not been found. The latest committee meeting schedules and reports indicate active PAC engagement on financial review topics, but do not yet reveal finalized reforms on these structural changes.
The PAC, established in 1921 under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1919, has an average acceptance rate of 45% for its recommendations, with some cases reaching 90%. The committee functions as the conscience keeper of the government, scrutinizing the audit reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India and having control over the public purse in India.
The work of the PAC is post-mortem in nature, meaning it reviews past expenditures and identifies areas of mismanagement or corruption. The committee has been highly regarded for its role in exposing corruption, such as in the case of the Commonwealth Games in 2010.
However, the committee has faced politicization, as seen in the 2G scam. The convention is for the Chairman of the committee to be from the opposition party, but this has not always been the case. The number of sittings for the committee has also been reduced, which has raised concerns about its ability to effectively carry out its duties.
The Public Accounts Committees Conference 2015 recommended for the CAG audit of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), but the committee has no jurisdiction over PPP. The committee consists of 22 members, with 15 from the Lok Sabha and 7 from the Rajya Sabha.
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In light of the proposals for enhancing the effectiveness of the Public Accounts Committee, it is suggested that lengthier tenures for PAC members may foster continuity and empower them to delve deeper into complex financial and audit issues. Additionally, hiring expert members knowledgeable in science, finance, and business could strengthen the committee's ability to scrutinize and analyze government spending more comprehensively.
