Cambridge (Massachusetts):
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai, whose reports on losses from 2G spectrum and coal block allocations sparked allegations of massive corruption in the government, has said that the role of a public auditor cannot be confined to merely placing reports in Parliament.
"Should we as public auditors limit our role to placing reports in Parliament or go beyond that and seek to sensitise public opinion on our audit observations, especially in the social sector such as rural health, primary education, water pollution, environment, drinking water etc?" Mr Rai said in his lecture at the Harvard Kennedy School yesterday.
(Read full speech)The government has debunked the CAG's reports and accused it of exceeding its mandate. In defence, Mr Rai said the Indian democracy is maturing and the urban middle class is getting more involved in citizen's affairs. "We continue to tread the new path in the belief that the final stakeholder is the public at large," he said.
The CAG's audits ensure judicious use of public money, Mr Rai said.
He vowed to uncover crony capitalism. "We may not be able to wipe out corruption, but our endeavour is to uncover instances of crony capitalism. The government should be seen to support enterprise per se and not particular entrepreneurs," Mr Rai said.