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To enhance transparency and accountability in village council (panchayat) audits, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) has introduced the Action Taken Report (ATR) module of AuditOnline.
Launched in 2020, AuditOnline is a component of the Panchayat Enterprise Suite (PES). It is an open-source application developed as part of the e-panchayat Mission Mode Project (MMP) initiated by MoPR. It serves as a platform for conducting internal and external audits of government departments and village council institutions to promote transparency.
The ATR Module will further boost accountability through audits. It is designed to provide a structured approach to the audit process, ensuring clarity regarding the actions taken in response to audit findings. Panchayats across the country can ensure the seamless management and utilisation of funds, leading to a corruption-free system and efficient financial practices at the grassroots level.
Impressive progress has been made by the states, which have generated over 200,000 audit reports during the last two audit periods 2020-21 and 2021-22. Currently, there are 256,795 registered panchayats and 2,103,058 observations documented. Notably, approximately 80% of PRI (Panchayati Raj Institutions) audit reports, totaling 211,278, have been generated for the audit period of 2021-22.
As per the operational guidelines of the Fifteenth Finance Commission, it is now mandatory for states to ensure that all tiers of panchayats, constituting 100% of rural local bodies, have audited accounts for the period of 2021-22, starting from the fiscal year 2023-24.
The Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Kapil Moreshwar Patil, highlighted the importance of the recently launched ATR module as a significant milestone in advancing digital governance at the grassroots level. He has urged states and union territories (UTs) to prioritise the audit of all panchayat accounts to fulfill the criteria set by the Fifteenth Finance Commission, which is essential for receiving subsequent grants.
Patil emphasised the importance of strengthening the District Level Financial Advisors (DLFAs) and Audit Departments to effectively meet audit deadlines. The ATR Module of AuditOnline will play a crucial role in enabling panchayats to enhance their accountability, efficiency, empowerment, and transparency.
Sunil Kumar, Secretary of MoPR, expressed his appreciation for the efforts of states and UTs in conducting financial audits of PRIs through AuditOnline. The ATR Module will contribute to strengthening the demand before the Sixteenth Finance Commission for a higher allocation of funds for PRIs and rural local bodies (RLBs). In the future, the ATR module will play a vital role in conducting holistic audits of all village council accounts, thereby fulfilling the criteria set by the Fifteenth Finance Commission for the disbursement of subsequent grants.
During the launch event, the MoPR Joint Secretary delivered a brief presentation on the ATR module, providing an overview of the steps involved in its implementation. Additionally, a demonstration of the ATR Module was conducted by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in collaboration with MoPR.
The event witnessed the presence of officials from MoPR as well as senior officers from the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Additionally, senior officers from the state Panchayati Raj departments and representatives from the Directorate of Local Fund Audit participated in virtual mode. Panchayat functionaries from various states and UTs were also present.
