The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) will be adopting a technology-driven system to increase audit coverage and improve the quality of audit outputs.
A digital application to be launched in November, the CAG-Connect portal, will provide nearly 10 lakh auditee entities with a unified digital interface (UPI) to directly respond to queries, observations, and inspection reports, thereby reducing time for field audit at auditee premises.
This strategic shift to remote and hybrid audits is anchored in risk-based planning, securing access to government platforms (such as IFMS, e-Procurement and sectoral databases like WAMIS for public works etc.) and using geospatial tools like PM GatiShakti to strengthen evidence and consistency across sectors, informed Deputy CAG, K S Subramanian.
Pilot studies of remote audits in numerous audit domains have already been concluded successfully, Subramaniam added, which is why they are now being replicated across offices.
These include a data-led GST audit carried out concurrently in the Central and State audit offices using a standardised audit design matrix and centrally validated SQL queries, he said.
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Similarly, Telangana’s remote compliance audit of the Stamps & Registration Department – the PAG (Audit) – has demonstrated successful office-based scrutiny with real-time coordination.
Deputy CAG, A M Bajaj, said the CAG-Connect portal will make the entire process of audits transparent, technology-enabled, and accessible to all stakeholders, regardless of their geographical location. By enabling proper tracking of audit observations by both the CAG and audited entities, it will facilitate faster resolution.
Meanwhile, an initiative to harness artificial intelligence for smarter audits is under development. The CAG-LLM (Large Language Model) is designed to help auditors access decades of institutional knowledge to help improve efficiency and consistency in audit analysis by analysing large datasets and internally generated documents such as Inspection Reports.
It will also be able to identify patterns and risks with enhanced accuracy, and assist auditors in preparing more incisive audit insights and comprehensive reports.
The Annual Conference of State Finance Secretaries for the year 2025 was slated to be held on Friday, focusing on key issues of strengthening the reporting framework with respect to centrally-sponsored schemes, dissemination of good practices on public finances, leveraging IT systems and digital platforms for better governance.
Senior officials from the Union Finance Ministry, finance secretaries of state governments, the RBI, the CGA, and heads of the accounting services of railways, telecommunications, and defense, along with Accountant General representing the CAG’s audit and accounts offices in the states, are participating in the conference that has witnessed almost 200 delegates coming in from across the country.
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