New Delhi [India], July 2 (ANI): Congress MP and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairperson KC Venugopal on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of a performance audit of the Education Department over the past nine years, saying the committee had unanimously raised concerns while reviewing the implementation of centrally sponsored welfare schemes.
The PAC met at Parliament House Annexe to examine the implementation and effectiveness of centrally sponsored welfare schemes in the education sector. The meeting included a briefing by the Audit authorities, followed by oral evidence from officials of the Ministry of Education, the Department of School Education and Literacy, and the Department of Higher Education.
Speaking to ANI, Venugopal said the committee’s primary concern was the lack of a performance audit of the Education Department since 2017.
“We are discussing today about the centrally sponsored welfare schemes of the Education Department. We discussed about that. Basically, one of the observations made by the committee in the initial stage itself, that on audit. Because the audit on education was done in 2017 last. Since the last nine years, there is no audit for the Education Department by the audit body. Which is actually disappointing. No, that is not at all disappointing, it is not justifiable also,” Venugopal said.
Emphasising the importance of education, he added, “Education is one of the important subjects. I think it should be audited properly. Performance audit has not been conducted for the last nine years. So, the committee unanimously found this unsatisfactory. The committee totally showed its dissatisfaction on this issue.”
Venugopal further said members of the committee also raised several questions regarding centrally sponsored welfare schemes, adding that the Ministry had responded to some of the queries and would provide additional details at a later stage.
“Regarding the schemes also, many queries were raised by members about the centrally sponsored schemes. Certainly, the Ministry replied. At the next stage, they will give details,” he said.
Responding to a question regarding the privilege notice moved against Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over his remarks on Operation Sindoor, Venugopal said, “It’s already there, already given to the Speaker and the Speaker has to take a decision.”
The PAC’s review comes as centrally sponsored welfare programmes, including the recently implemented Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, continue to remain under parliamentary scrutiny over their implementation and effectiveness across the country. (ANI)
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