New Delhi, Nov 16 (IANS) Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan, on Sunday, highlighted that the global reputation of India's Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has surged, with its role as external auditor for organisations like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Addressing the fifth Audit Diwas celebrations here, the Vice-President also mentioned that currently CAG chairs the Asian Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) and the International Organisation of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) Committee, including the Working Group on IT Audit, positioning Bharat as a global leader in auditing standards.

He called it as a testimony to Bharat's journey from being a follower to emerging as a global leader.

In his address, Vice-President Radhakrishnan hailed the CAG as the "guardian of the public purse", emphasising its vital role in protecting public money and promoting good governance.

He lauded the CAG's 165 years of dedicated service legacy since the office of Auditor General was instituted in 1860.

"Supreme Audit institutions across the world share one common purpose: to protect public money and promote good governance. Among them, the CAG of India stands proudly, upholding the principles of accountability, transparency, and integrity in public life," he remarked.

Vice-President Radhakrishnan applauded the CAG for notifying "One Nation, One Set of Object Heads of Expenditure" for both the Union and state governments -- a reform that will significantly enhance transparency and comparability of government expenditure.

Highlighting India's advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), big data, blockchain, and machine learning, the Vice-President expressed happiness to note that the CAG, through initiatives like the One Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IAAD) One System, AI-based audit frameworks, and several other measures, has embedded technology, predictive analytics, and generative AI "into the very DNA of public financial management".

He also praised the CAG's partnerships with premier institutions like IIT Madras to build capacity in data sciences, cybersecurity, and deep learning.

He expressed satisfaction with the fact that a customised Large Language Model is being developed to feed more than 20,000 inspection reports annually, bolstering data-driven auditing.

Technology adoption will enhance risk detection, efficiency, and evidence-based governance, ensuring the optimal use of public funds, the Vice-President said.

To achieve this, we need to have a future-ready and citizen-centric civil service, he added.

The Vice-President urged officers to continuously upgrade their skills and auditing capabilities, ensuring that public welfare remains at the heart of governance.

Senior officials present on the occasion included K. Sanjay Murthy, CAG of India, Deputy CAGs Subir Mallick, Krishnan Sagaran Subramanian, and Jayant Sinha, retired CAGs, and officials from the Indian Audit and Account Service were present at the event.

--IANS