MLA slams government for not giving nod for audit

The efforts by the government to avoid audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) at the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) and Kannur International Airport Ltd (KIAL) were against the Constitution and echoed its hidden intentions, V.D. Satheesan, MLA, has alleged.

“Private participation in KIAL is only 16%. Major share is being held by the State government and public sector institutions.

The KIAL board opted for internal audit while rejecting the audit report of the CAG in 2015-16. The audit must be conducted by the CAG in a government-controlled institution,” he said in a release here.

‘No steps taken’

Alleging that the company authorities had took a position against the audit by CAG, Mr. Satheesan said that no steps were taken despite the CAG writing to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and Managing Director of KIAL urging them to allow it to carry out its constitutional responsibilities.

The MLA criticised the government for not giving its nod for the audit by CAG in KIIFB.

Any agency drawing funds from the government must undergo audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General. “The government provides the sovereign guarantee for the loans availed by the board and the bonds floated by it,” he said.

Mr. Satheesan expressed doubts over the government’s stance that audit by the CAG was not required for the 50,000 crore of development projects mooted through KIIFB.