Why in News?
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by K.C. Venugopal, reviewed poor rural mobile connectivity, especially in border and northeastern districts. It directed telecom providers to expand networks, examined delayed payments to the Telecom Department, and flagged slow progress of the National Broadband Mission.
Description:
- Establishment: 1921, under provisions of the Government of India Act, 1919 → Oldest Parliamentary Committee in India.
- Constitutional/Statutory Basis: Not constitutional, but a parliamentary standing committee.
- Purpose: Ensures financial accountability of the Executive to the Parliament.
Functions:
- Examines the Audit Reports of the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India).
- Scrutinises government expenditure to check if it is:
- within Parliament’s sanction,
- spent legally, and
- in line with efficiency & economy.
- Investigates cases of financial irregularities, losses, wasteful expenditure, and inefficiencies.
- Does not question policy decisions, only their execution.
Composition:
- 22 members in total:
- 15 → Lok Sabha,
- 7 → Rajya Sabha.
- Members elected annually by proportional representation via single transferable vote.
- Chairperson:
- A Lok Sabha MP,
- Traditionally from the Opposition (since 1967).
- Term: One year.
- Restriction: Ministers cannot be members.
Limitations:
- Advisory in nature → cannot enforce recommendations.
- No executive powers → depends on the government’s response.
- Cannot question matters of policy, only implementation.
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