CAG plans natural resource accounting

BHUBANESWAR: The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has decided to conduct natural resource accounting which will help the states and the Centre in managing natural resources.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new building of the principal accountant general at Keshari Nagar, here on Monday, CAG Girish Chandra Murmu said the audit of natural resources will also help reduce damages to the environment.
The audit will include mapping of resources, its exploitation, expenditure and receipts of funds, sell of natural resources and environmental impacts. “It will also improve the accountability of executives,” Murmu said.
Under the natural resource accounting , the CAG will prepare a balance sheet of major natural resources like mineral and energy, water, wildlife and land resources, sources said.
The CAG has also proposed district centric audits to assess the growth in all sectors and advice the local self-governments to improve the devolved functions considering the huge quantum of funds transferred by the Centre and state government.
“Huge funds are given to these local bodies but very little input is available on how they are spent. The plan is to strengthen audit of local bodies. The CAG will not directly do the audit of local bodies, rather it will help states in capacity building and provide manpower support for the annual audit of local bodies,” Murmu said. Currently these local bodies are being audited by state government-appointed organisations.
Murmu pointed out that the main aim of the organisation is to improve the management of the establishments and to suggest value addition to the performance of the organization in delivery of services.
The new office building in the Odisha capital is spread across 1.1 acres of land and is a 40,000 square feet green building constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 28.26 crore.
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