Public Accounts Committee was first conceived in the year 1921 in the wake of Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms.
Andalib Akhter / NEW DELHI
President of India Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the centennial year celebration of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the Central Hall of Parliament on Saturday.
Besides top dignitaries, representatives of a number of countries will take part in the commemoration meeting, said the PAC chairman and leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. He said that vice president M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will address the gathering on the occasion.
Talking to media persons, Chowdhury said that the President will release the centennial souvenir of PAC. “An exhibition showcasing the century-long journey of the committee will also be inaugurated by the President during the inaugural session,” he said.
Union Ministers, Members of Parliament, presiding officers of legislative bodies in the country will also take part in the commemoration programme.
Representatives of Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania and Maldives have confirmed their participation in the commemoration event at the Central Hall, added Chowdhury.
The PAC will deliberate on a four-agenda theme on the working of the Committee over two days, which will include discussions on the functioning of PAC in present times, challenges and the way forward. The PAC will also seek to collect information from non-governmental sources and assess outcomes of programmes, schemes and projects of the Central government.
Chowdhury added that the Public Accounts Committee was first conceived in the year 1921 in the wake of Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms. It consists of not more than 22 members comprising of 15 Members of Parliament from Lok Sabha and not more than 7 members of Rajya Sabha. The Committee is reconstituted every year. Since 1967, the member from the Opposition Party in Lok Sabha is appointed the Chairperson of the Committee by the Speaker, Lok Sabha.
“The PAC will also deliberate on the implementation of recommendations of its reports, including adherence to timelines and mechanism for strict compliance. The members will also dwell upon the issue of PAC as a development partner, with a focus on strengthening of systems and promoting good governance. Also, on the agenda for the discussions will be the impact of PAC, ensuring citizens’ right to due process and value for taxpayers’ money,” said Chowdhury.