CAG as a constitutional body can`t be ignored: Jairam Ramesh

Bhopal: The Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) was a constitutional body which cannot be overlooked, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said here on Friday. In an interaction with reporters, the minister for Panchayat and Rural Development said he was not talking about the present CAG Vinod Rai, but was talking about the institution itself. Ramesh said that last year he had himself gone to the CAG and sought an audit of programmes conducted by his ministry.

He said that this year, the CAG would look into the MNREGA, next year into the Indira Gandhi Awas Yojana and the year after that into the Prime Minister`s Grameen Sadak Yojana. Earlier in the day, he met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to discuss various schemes being implemented in the state. He said that there would be no shortage of funds for implementing various schemes. Under a central government scheme starting from January 1 next year, money would be given directly to beneficiaries, the Minister said. The scheme would initially be implemented in 51 districts and based on the experience there, would be extended to other districts, he said. PTI