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CAG exaggerated on many issues in reports, says Parl PAC chief

The CAG is an independent body. (However) there are certain occasions where we found (they have crossed the)… Lakshman Rekha, said Thomas. He added that something has been exaggerated by the CAG in many cases.

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While the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government saw itself facing allegations of corruption on distribution of 2G spectrum and coal blocks among other issues, leading to it eventually being voted out of power, an institution whose reports brought these irregularities into limelight was the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

However, KV Thomas, chairman of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which examines these reports after they are submitted to the House, feels that there have been occasions where the CAG has crossed the "Lakshman Rekha".

"The CAG is an independent body. (However) there are certain occasions where we found (they have crossed the)… Lakshman Rekha," said Thomas. He added that something has been exaggerated by the CAG in many cases.

"There is a Lakshman Rekha for everybody, not just the CAG but the PAC too," said Thomas, a Congress MP from Ernakulam in Kerala and former union minister.

Thomas, who was speaking after the first joint meeting between Parliament's PAC and the state legislature's PAC in Mumbai on Friday, said they were making suggestions for giving more teeth to the committees, which were watchdogs of government transactions.

He added that they had proposed having common guidelines and rules for Parliament and state PACs.

The powerful PAC, which comprises of members from the ruling and opposition benches, and is traditionally chaired by a member from the principal opposition party, examines CAG reports which have been laid in Parliament.

The PAC submits its recommendations to Parliament and it is for the government to implement it, said Thomas, adding that 60-80% of these were implemented. The PAC has appointed a sub-committee on action taken reports (ATRs), which have led to the government taking faster decisions. The committee has established eight sub-committees on various subjects.

Senior Congress legislator Gopaldas Agarwal, chairman of the state legislature's PAC, said they would draw attention of the House and the government for the need to call retired officials before the committee for hearings.

"We call sitting officers, then why not retired ones?" questioned Agarwal, adding that the PAC was investigating misappropriation of the government's funds. He admitted that the number of the committee's recommendations being implemented in Maharashtra was less than 60%.

Agarwal said they had told the chief secretary about bureaucrats not attending hearings and not giving proper information, which had led to a change in this style of functioning.

Earlier, on questions over disruptions in Parliament, Thomas said the opposition had stalled the House during the UPA I and II regime, and, hence, with the BJP in power, the Congress was doing likewise. "Whether it is good for the democratic process or not must be discussed," he added, stressing on the need for a national debate.

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