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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | 'Coalgate': CAG takes on coal minister, says we don't make basic mistakes-Pradeep Thakur

'Coalgate': CAG takes on coal minister, says we don't make basic mistakes-Pradeep Thakur

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published Published on Mar 28, 2012   modified Modified on Mar 28, 2012

Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai on Tuesday trashed the suggestion that the federal auditor's estimate of undue gains to companies caused by the government's failure to auction coal blocks was "fallacious" or "erroneous".

"We are incapable of making fundamental errors as being discussed in media. Our report will make clear all doubts on fallacies (that are) being talked about," Rai said at a seminar on 'Public Accountability and the Role of CAG', organized here by the Institute of Public Auditors of India.

Rai's remarks came a day after coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal was reported to have dismissed CAG's estimate of Rs 10.7 lakh crore in gains for companies that were given coal blocks as "notional and imaginary." Earlier, on Saturday, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had made light of CAG's estimates, saying that the auditor changes 90% of its draft reports after factoring in the government's explanations.

Rai's strong defence of CAG would indicate that its final report may not be very different from its draft report. Rai scoffed at the idea of government auditors arriving at figures casually, only to junk them later. "We are acclaimed internationally for our balanced reporting. Our officers are well trained and are so fundamentally strong that they don't do any basic errors. All our audit processes go down three-four layers, leaving no scope for mistakes."

His remarks confirm the estimate in knowledgeable circles that the draft report - reported first by TOI on March 22 - was prepared on the basis of detailed calculations and after detailed discussions with the coal ministry and, hence, was unlikely to be drastically altered.

On Tuesday, Reuters quoted CAG officials to say the final report would be close to the draft report.

Rai seemed angry over suggestions that CAG's figures were products of lazy arithmetic. "They ( CAG auditors) are the best in the world. Both developing and developed countries send their auditors to train with us at our academies," he said. "Effectiveness and robustness of our processes have led us to being appointed auditor for global agencies."

"Effectiveness and robustness of our processes have led us to being appointed auditor for global agencies."

He added that the UN had chosen India over the UK to audit its accounts and policies, even though the British auditors were costing less. Rai denied the charge that CAG had reduced its mandate to a faultfinding agency, while insisting that the auditor cannot but draw attention to shortcomings in the implementation of policies.

"We are not in the business of finding faults. But when we detect some loopholes during the process of audit, we advise the executive to plug those loopholes," he said.

The Times of India, 28 March, 2012, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Coalgate-CAG-takes-on-coal-minister-says-we-dont-make-basic-mistakes/articleshow/12433309.cms


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