CAG to Launch Tech-Driven Audit Portal in November

New Delhi, Sep 17 (PTI) The apex government auditor CAG will launch a portal in November to provide nearly 10 lakh auditee entities with a unified digital interface to directly respond to queries, observations, and inspection reports.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) is transitioning to a system-wide strategic shift to remote and hybrid audits to increase audit coverage, reduce time for field audit at auditee premises and improve the quality of audit outputs.

This transition is anchored in risk-based planning, secure access to government platforms (such as IFMS, e-Procurement and sectoral databases like WAMIS for public works etc.) and the use of geospatial tools like PM GatiShakti to strengthen evidence and consistency across sectors, Deputy CAG K S Subramanian told reporters here.

The pilot studies of remote audits in many audit domains have been concluded, and they are now being replicated across offices. Remote audits in receipts audits are advancing faster due to higher automation, richer and standardised data. This includes 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.

Similarly, PAG (Audit) Telangana's remote compliance audit of the Stamps & Registration Department demonstrates successful office-based scrutiny with real-time coordination.

On the CAG-Connect portal, Deputy CAG A M Bajaj said it will make the entire process transparent, technology-enabled, and accessible to all stakeholders regardless of their geographical location, enabling proper tracking of audit observations by both the CAG and audited entities while facilitating faster resolution.

On harnessing artificial intelligence for smarter audits, the official said an initiative under development is the CAG-LLM (Large Language Model), designed to help auditors access decades of institutional knowledge, thereby improving efficiency and consistency in audit analysis.

The AI-powered system will strengthen institutional capabilities in analysing large datasets and internally generated documents such as Inspection Reports, 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 will be held on Friday.

Deputy CAG B K Mohanty said the conference will focus 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.

Strengthening accounting and auditing of state public sector entities and autonomous bodies too will be in focus during the conference, he said.

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 defence, along with Accountant General representing the CAG's audit and accounts offices in the states, are expected to participate in the conference.

About 200 delegates from across the country will be attending the conference held under the aegis of CAG of India.