Ministry of Panchayati Raj Organized Consultation Meeting with States on Online Audit, Release Procedure

Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, presided over the meeting, which was also attended by Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Subir Mallick, Additional Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General (Local Bodies).

The meeting was also attended by Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Additional Secretary, and Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj. The meeting was attended by senior officers from state Panchayati Raj departments, as well as representatives from the Directorate of Local Fund and Audit from over 20 states.

In his keynote address, Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, lauded states' efforts to promote accountability and transparency in PRIs through Audit online, citing the examples of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Sunil Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, advised states to identify operational flaws in fiscal devolution at the grassroots level, emphasizing the importance of audit para, audit observations, and action taken reports.

Vini Mahajan, Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, emphasized water security, adequate asset O&M, and village sanitation in her opening remarks. The Secretary of the Department of Water and Sanitation (DDWS) recognized that the convergence of XV FC grants, Jal Jeevan Mission grants, and State Finance Commission grants presents a unique opportunity for PRIs to ensure water security and sanitation in villages.

Additional Deputy CAG Subir Mallick stated that mechanisms such as e-GramSwasraj, Audit Online, and eGSPI have evolved as enablers for effective auditing in Panchayati Raj Institutions. Action-taken reports (ATR) is critical for tracking the progress of Audit observations raised and for maintaining accountability at the PRI level.

The Additional Deputy CAG emphasized the importance of strengthening monitoring mechanisms at the District and Gram Sabha levels to ensure the resolution of audit observations and the closing of accountability gaps at the grassroots level. Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, urged states to use this platform to share ideas and concerns about online Panchayat audits and the disbursement of Finance Commission Grants.

Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, MoPR, also gave a brief presentation highlighting operational guidelines for the release of the XV FC and showing state progress on eGramSwaraj and Audit Online. States were also asked to make suggestions for any changes to existing Grant Transfer Certificates. States have also been advised to develop a strategy for 100% eGramSwaraj and Audit Online onboarding.

States such as Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram, Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal actively took part in the meeting and provided valuable suggestions on promoting accountability and transparency