CHENNAI: The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on Revenue Receipts, tabled in the State Assembly on We-dnesday, came down heavily on officials for failing to reply to issues and recommendations made over the years. The report urged the government to take steps to expedite the provision of replies and conduct the business of setting anomalies right, war-ning that a failure to do so could render the audit process useless.A review of Inspection Reports, on receipt of which departments are expected to clarify or correct, has shown that 23,075 paragraphs, involving Rs 3,424.21 crore, had been sent to various offices. Of these, 7,101 remained outstanding as of June 2011. The report recommended that the government set up procedures to ensure an effective, prompt and appropriate response to audit observations, as well as to take action against officials who failed in their duties by not sending replies.The report also raised the issue of non-production of documents for audits despite the audited offices being given a month’s notice. It said a total of 19,972 documents relating to sales tax had not been produced for audit at 225 offices. “The non-production of assessment records defeats the accountability of the executive and also hinders the discharge of duties of the CAG as enshrined in the Constitution,” it said.It also noted that 46 paragraphs, meant for inclusion in the CAG report for the year ending March 2011, had been sent to the Secretaries of various departments for replies and clarifications. Of these, replies have yet to be received in 41 instances.
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