CAG launches Centre of Excellence for Financial Audit in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Nov 26 Comptroller and Auditor General of India K. Sanjay Murthy launched the Centre of Excellence for Financial Audit (CoEFA) here on Wednesday.

The CoEFA will act as a knowledge-driven platform that seeks to transform the landscape of financial auditing in the public sector, with a focused mandate covering Public Sector Enterprises (PSEs), Autonomous Bodies (ABs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

The Deputy CAG (Commercial and Report Central), Anand Mohan Bajaj, the Additional Deputy CAG and DG, National Academy of Audit and Accounts (NAAA), S. Alok, along with other CAG officials, were present.

As public finance systems continue to evolve in complexity and scale, the need for robust, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) based tools, technology-enabled and insight-driven auditing practices has never been more critical. The Centre of Excellence aims to address this need by creating a forward-looking ecosystem that integrates cutting-edge digital tools, global best practices and human capital development to raise the bar for public sector auditing in India and beyond, the office of the CAG said.

Anchored in the constitutional mandate of the CAG of India to ensure accountability and transparency in public expenditure, the CoEFA seeks to operate as a hub for research, innovation, policy support and capacity building. It would support auditors, audit institutions and other stakeholders in developing the skills, tools and knowledge required to navigate the increasingly dynamic financial governance environment.

On this occasion, two data analytics models were demonstrated to the CAG of India by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Office of the Principal Director of Commercial Audit, Hyderabad. These were showcased to lay down the future directions of research in the CoEFA, Hyderabad.

The vision of the CoEFA is to be recognised as a Centre of Excellence for Financial Audit of PSEs, ABs and ULBs by effectively combining digital innovation with human expertise and institutional experience - evolving into a world-class centre for audit research, analytical insights and capacity development.

CAG of India also unveiled the official logo and board of the CoEFA on this occasion. The website template with the features of CoEFA was also demonstrated to the CAG of India, by the CoEFA team.

The facility was inaugurated at a temporary location of the erstwhile Regional Capacity Building and Knowledge Institute (RCB& KI), in the Accountants General Offices Complex in Hyderabad.

The CAG of India envisioned that NAAA, Shimla, being the premier training institute of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA&AD), should take a lead in research and capacity building in nuanced areas of financial auditing in the IA&AD.

Therefore, the CoEFA in Hyderabad would function under the NAAA, Shimla and technical control of the working of the Centre would be with the Commercial Audit Wing at CAG Headquarters.

On this occasion, a Framework Agreement was signed between the CoEFA of NAAA, under the aegis of the CAG of India, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to foster institutional collaboration in training, research, and joint publications in the field of financial auditing and PSE’s financial analysis, audit of Autonomous Bodies, and audit of accounts of Urban Local Bodies.

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