Hyderabad: A three-day national workshop on strengthening local fund audit systems in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies began on Monday at the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR), Hyderabad.
Organised by the Centre for Internal Audit in Rural Development (CIARD) in collaboration with iCAL under the guidance of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, the event will run from January 19 to 21. The workshop aims to improve audit uniformity, capacity, and accountability across local governance systems.
Audit reforms focus on tech, transparency, and capacity building
Inaugurating the event, NIRDPR Director General Dr. G. Narendra Kumar stressed the need for financial discipline in local governments, especially amid rising fund flows under the Fifteenth Finance Commission. He highlighted the role of information technology, AI, and Computer Assisted Audit Techniques (CAATs) in modernising audits.
Manish Kumar, Deputy CAG, reaffirmed the constitutional mandate of auditing local bodies, while Sushil Kumar Lohani from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj emphasised fiscal discipline and democratic decentralisation. iCAL Director General H.K. Dharmadarshi called for tech-enabled, outcome-driven audit practices.
CIARD head Dr. U. Hemantha Kumar, who also serves as the workshop director, said the event will explore best practices, challenges, and policy recommendations. Sessions will cover standardisation, accounting, audit observations, and tech adoption.
Top audit officials from States and the Centre are attending. As a result, discussions are expected to lead to concrete reforms in audit systems and local governance nationwide.