Para 7.3.2 — MSO (Audit)
Original Rule Text
7.3.2 Generally, the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India draw attention to the following:
(i) Matters arising from the Appropriation Accounts, the more important among them being:
(a) instances of expenditure incurred in excess of voted grants and charged appropriations, requiring regularisation;
(b) cases of expenditure incurred on a ‘New Service’ or ‘New Instrument of Service’ without the specific authority of the Parliament/Legislature;
(c) observations relating to efficiency of budgeting and control over expenditure; and
(d) recurring instances of major savings and excesses.
(ii) Points of interest concerning the Finance Accounts. The Reports will also include comprehensive review
(s) on one or more of the following topics:
(a) Budgetary deficit.
(b) Public debt.
(c) Investments by Government.
(d) Cash management.
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Note: The topics mentioned are only illustrative and not exhaustive.
(iii) Results of audit of all expenditure from the Consolidated Fund (including expenditure on commercial and trading activities of Government departments) and of the accounts of stores and stock. Where necessary, the Report also deals with the adequacy or otherwise of the rules and regulations in force for the conduct of financial transactions and for ensuring their regularity and propriety.
(iv) Observations arising from comprehensive reviews of various schemes and programmes implemented launched by the Union, State and Union Territory Governments.
(v) Important cases of losses and write-off of Government dues, and of wasteful or nugatory expenditure.
(vi) Points arising from audit under Section 16 of the Act of all receipts payable into the Consolidated Fund.
(vii) Matters relating to Government Companies, deemed Government Companies, and statutory and other autonomous bodies, the accounts of which are audited under Section 19 of the Act.
(viii) Points arising from audit under Section 14 of the Act of receipts and expenditure of bodies or authorities substantially financed by grants or loans from the Consolidated Fund.
What This Means
The CAG's Reports broadly draw attention to: excess expenditure beyond voted grants, expenditure on new services without Parliament's authority, budgeting efficiency, recurring savings/excesses, Finance Accounts observations, public debt and cash management reviews, results of expenditure audit, scheme/programme reviews, losses and wasteful expenditure, revenue receipt audit, audit of government companies and autonomous bodies, and any other matters of financial or accounting interest the CAG deems necessary for Parliament/Legislature.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Key Points
- 1Highlights excess expenditure requiring legislative regularisation
- 2Flags 'New Service' expenditure without specific parliamentary authority
- 3Covers budgeting efficiency, Finance Accounts, public debt, and cash management
- 4Includes scheme/programme reviews, losses, and wasteful expenditure
- 5Reports on revenue receipts, government companies, autonomous bodies, and Contingency/Public Accounts
- 6CAG has broad discretion to include any matter of financial interest
Practical Example
In the Union Audit Report for FY 2025-26, the CAG highlights: (a) Rs 2,300 crore spent in excess of voted grants by the Ministry of Defence requiring regularisation, (b) a new scholarship scheme launched by the HRD Ministry without Parliament's approval constituting a 'New Instrument of Service', (c) chronic under-spending in the health sector with 30% savings over three consecutive years, and (d) Rs 500 crore in nugatory expenditure on an abandoned IT project.
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'regularisation' of excess expenditure mean?▼
What is a 'New Instrument of Service'?▼
Is the list in this paragraph exhaustive?▼
This explanation was generated with AI assistance for educational purposes. Always refer to the official gazette notification for authoritative text.