Audit Reports
Odisha
Report of 2009 - Compliance, Financial and Performance Audit on State Finance of Government of Odisha
Overview
In June 2005, Orissa Government responded to the Twelfth Finance Commission's recommendation by legislating its "Fiscal Responsibilities and Budget Management Act (FRBM)." It sets out a reform agenda through fiscal correction path in the medium term with the long-term goal of securing growth stability for its economy. The State Government's commitment to carry forward these reforms is largely reflected in their policy initiatives announced in the budget subsequently. While the benefits of FRBM legislation have been realized to a great extent already, in terms of reduction in major deficit indicators etc, several other policy measures and institutional reform will have to be undertaken to enable building up of the much needed 'fiscal space' for improving the quality of public expenditure and to promote fiscal stability. Fiscal indicators alone, however, do not give the 'big picture' of the status of financial management including cash management for the benefit of the State and other stakeholders.
The Comptroller and Auditor General's civil audit reports step in to fill this gap. CAG's reports have been commenting upon the Government's finances for over three years since the FRBM legislation and have published three reports already. Since these comments formed part of the civil audit report, it was felt that the audit findings on State finances remained camouflaged in the large body of audit findings on compliance and performance audits. The obvious fallout of this well-intentioned but all-inclusive reporting was that the financial management portion of these findings did not receive proper attention. In recognition of the need to bring State finances to center-stage once again, a stand-alone report on State Government finances is considered an appropriate audit response to this challenge. Accordingly, from the report year 2009 onwards, C&AG has decided to bring out a separate volume titled "Report on State Finances."
The report based on the audited accounts of the Government of Orissa for the year ending March 2009, this report provides an analytical review of the Annual Accounts of the State Government. The report is structured in three Chapters. Chapter 1 is based on the audit of Finance Accounts and makes an assessment of Orissa Government's fiscal position as at 31 March 2009. It provides an insight into trends in committed expenditure, borrowing pattern besides a brief account of central funds transferred directly to the State implementing agencies through off-budget route. Chapter 2 is based on audit of Appropriation Accounts and it gives the grant-by-grant description of appropriations and the manner in which the allocated resources were managed by the service delivery departments. Chapter 3 is an inventory of Government's compliance with various reporting requirements and financial rules. The report also has an appendage of additional data collated from several sources in support of the findings. Appendix 4.1 at the end gives a glossary of selected terms related to State economy, as used in this report.