Public Accounts Committee inspects projects, conducts review meeting in Salem

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), led by its chairman K. Selvaperunthagai (Sriperumbudur MLA) and members P. Abdul Samad (Manapparai), C. Saraswathi (Modakkurichi), and J. Mohamed Shanavas (Nagapattinam), inspected the renovation works at Mookaneri Lake in Kannankurichi and also inspected the government college hostel at Maravaneri, the Cancer Radiotherapy centre at Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College Hospital and Keraipappampadi Lake in the district.

The committee interacted with the officials about the project implementation and a review meeting was conducted at the Salem Collectorate with officials from various departments.

At the meeting, Mr. Selvaperunthagai said that PAC is a committee constituted by the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The committee visits each district and conducts audits as per the case reports of the Department of Indian Audit and Accounts. According to Article 148 of the Constitution of India, the Department has the power to conduct audits throughout the country. Similarly, if the government has invested more than 51% in private companies, it has the power to conduct audits in those companies as well. He added that like the Reserve Bank of India and the Election Commission of India, the Department of Indian Audit and Accounts is an independent body.

Stating that reports of the Department are laid in Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies and are taken up for discussion by the PAC, Mr. Selvaperunthagai said that the reports have been continuously presented in the first Parliament since the introduction of the parliamentary system in India in 1921. This committee ensures that the funds allocated by Parliament and the Legislative Assembly are used efficiently and economically. It also ensures that the tax money of the public is used economically, he added.

In the meeting, Principal Secretary K. Srinivasan, District Collector R. Brindha Devi, Salem Mayor A. Ramachandran, Mettur MLA S. Sathasivam and officials from departments concerned participated.