Latest news with #DistrictMineralFunds
Hans India
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Improve basic facilities at welfare hostels, officials told
Tirupati: District Collector Dr S Venkateswar directed the officials to take up all required measures to improve basic facilities for students in the government welfare hostels and also residential schools. The Collector on Thursday held a meeting with officials of Social Welfare, BC and Tribal Welfare departments, engineering officials and also Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phule and Dr B R Ambedkar Residencial authorities on improving facilities in welfare hostels for the benefit of the students. Speaking on the occasion, the Collector wanted the officials concerned to complete all the pending works on priority basis and send proposals with estimates for approval for taking up required works including repairs immediately. Required funds to any additional works should be mobilised through CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility), MP lads and District Mineral Funds for speedy completion of the works. The officials should inspect all the welfare hostels and residential schools to find out the requirements including the condition of toilets, running water, taps, tube lights, electrical wiring, LED bulbs, fans, windows, doors and leak proof of floors, flooring and RO water supply, the Collector said. The officials should ensure quality in works and supply of materials and monitor the progress of the works on the daily basis for completion. Vikram Kumar Reddy, Bharath Kumar Reddy, Raju Somu, Reshma and Padmaja were present.
Hans India
27-06-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Speed up works undertaken with DMF
Anantapur: District Collector Dr Vinod Kumar V directed officials to expedite the works being carried out under District Mineral Funds (DMF). He chaired a review meeting of District Mineral Funds Management Committee at Anantapur Collectorate on Thursday. The Collector stated that for the financial year 2024–25, a total of 116 works worth Rs 11.72 crore were sanctioned, out of which only 10 were completed so far. He urged officials to fast-track the remaining 106 works. He also mentioned that proposals worth Rs 4 crore for 27 high-priority works have been submitted and instructed department heads to submit detailed reports as per the checklist. In addition, proposals for 61 other works costing Rs 65 crore under general priority were received. He emphasised that only after permissions are granted for high-priority works should the lower-priority projects be initiated. The Central government is closely monitoring every rupee spent under DMF, and hence, special attention must be given to the completion of sanctioned works. He instructed departments to inspect any previously sanctioned but yet-to-be-started projects and submit proposals on whether to proceed with them or not.
Mint
15-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
CAG to deploy AI, machine learning for faster, accurate audits
New Delhi: India's apex auditor will integrate generative AI, machine learning and optical character recognition into its processes to fast-track work and reduce manual burden, according to two deputy heads of the federal auditing body. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) will use these tools for voucher verification and risk detection and will expand remote and hybrid audits in complex revenue areas such as goods and services tax, stamp duty and public works, deputy CAGs A.M. Bajaj and K.S. Subramanian said in an interview. These technologies are expected to significantly reduce manual workload, enhance anomaly detection, and enable predictive identification of high-risk areas, making audits more focused and data-driven, they said. Also read: GDP's dirty little secret: Why we should be tracking GVA instead CAG is reshaping audit practices to match the complexity of India's growing economy and sprawling governance structure. With over 700 central public sector units, 1,600 state enterprises, 485 central autonomous bodies and thousands of panchayats and urban local bodies now under its jurisdiction, the federal auditor is adapting to not just the size, but also the changing nature of public service delivery, they said. The CAG is conducting multi-state audits on key welfare and infrastructure areas, including solid-waste management in urban bodies, welfare of construction workers, management of District Mineral Funds, implementation of rural jobs guarantee programme, functioning of regional transport offices and the Jal Jeevan Mission. All-India audits covering the Green India Mission, Smart Cities, MSME support and skill development are also underway and are expected to be completed by mid-2025. These audits aim to assess how effectively these national initiatives are delivering measurable benefits to citizens and improving their lives. For the first time, the CAG has institutionalized stakeholder consultations at all stages of the audit cycle from planning to reporting, said Bajaj. 'We've made it mandatory to consult the Secretary, senior officials, academia, and civil society while finalising the Annual Audit Plan and audit reports. This inclusive process helps ensure our audits are grounded in real issues and deliver meaningful value to both institutions and citizens," Subramanian added. Also read: You're absolutely right, as the AI chatbot says Dattesh Parulekar, assistant professor of International Relations at Goa University, said, 'The CAG's digital-first and stakeholder-led approach signals a decisive shift from traditional compliance checks to dynamic, technology-enabled, performance-linked audits. If sustained, this could mark a new era in public accountability—where audit reports not only flag inefficiencies but help shape more responsive governance." Focus on training Training remains central to this revamp. The CAG has signed eight memoranda of understanding with institutions such as the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, the Indian Institution of Management Ahmedabad, Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics and the National Institute of Urban Affairs to co-develop specialised curricula. 'For capacity building, we are training audit staff in AI, data analytics, cybersecurity, and public policy at top institutes, including a nationwide boot camp on AI and machine learning for audit at IIT Delhi," said Bajaj. A nine-month AI and cybersecurity diploma programme is already underway at IIT-Madras for CAG officers, with modules on environmental audit, ESG reporting, procurement, and non-cognitive skills running in parallel across various centres, said Subramanian. Also read: Bengaluru shocker: Driver runs away with employer's ₹1.5 crore, spends on family and donates at temples The CAG submits audit reports to the President or governors, which are then tabled in Parliament or state legislatures. These reports have historically played a key role in ensuring financial accountability and transparency in governance, uncovering issues from expenditure irregularities and poor scheme implementation to systemic inefficiencies. These audits have led to policy reforms, public debates, and accountability at the highest levels.
