undertake performance audits for DIFFERENT FACES OF A 30-YEAR JOURNEY the first time during his tenure. This meant finding a department’s The Comptroller and objectives and goals, and then Auditor General of Change of comparing these with actual results (CAG), , guard at CAG office retires on Wednesday Vinod Rai (January 7, and Shashi Kant 2008 – May 23, 2013) Sharma takes over as the 12th CAG of | Held the post of independant India. secretary, financial Business Standard services, in the takes a look at the finance ministry journey of the before taking over national auditor’s as the CAG. He is office under various said to be heads in the last instrumental in setting up the India 30 years Infrastructure Finance Company and has been a director on several boards, including the State Bank of T N Chaturvedi (Mar 1984- Mar 1990) V K Shunglu (Mar 15, India and ICICI Bank, among others. 1996- Mar 14, 2002) The India Audit report: Brought CAG office in the Administrative | The arts graduate spotlight with its reports on 2G Service (IAS) officer from St Stephen’s spectrum allocation, coal block with a Master of Arts College joined IAS in allocation, the Commonwealth from Allahabad 1962. He held Games, KG-D6 audit (before University, joined the important positions as production), Delhi International Bharatiya Janta Party special secretary, Airport Limited. after demitting CAG’s power, before heading the CAG. Achievement: All these reports led to office and became a Audit report: The fodder scam report, Rajya Sabha member. Was the high-profile CBI investigations which which alleged fraudulent withdrawal have put the UPA government in governor of Karnataka in 2002 and of government funds of ~950 crore in Kerala in 2004. trouble time and again. Rai is also the animal husbandry credited for bringing the limelight Audit report: The Bofors scandal was department against non-existent back on the CAG office. exposed during his tenure and was supplies of fodder and medicines. one of the landmark CAG reports to Achievement: It was in his tenure that Shashi Kant Sharma date, and also Chaturvedi’s biggest CAG started to do physical audits ( Takes over on May 24, 2013) achievement as the CAG instead of relying only on the books | Would be the 12th CAG of India. A of accounts. First such inspection was 1976 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre; C G Somiah (Mar 27, 1990, to Mar 14, 1996) done on Food Corporation of India is currently holding the post of | The Odisha-cadre IAS defence secretary. Holds a masters in officer was the central Vijayendra N Kaul political science from the University vigilance (Mar 5, 2002 – Jan 6, 2008) of York commissioner before |Another St Stephen’s Audit report: Some of the important becoming the CAG. He alumnus, he held reports that could fall upon Sharma also had been the offices of secretary in include the Krishna- Godavari D6 gas the departments of home secretary and block and the report coal, chemicals and secretary, Planning on the AgustaWestland Commission. fertilisers, petroleum and natural gas. He helicopter deal. Both Audit report: Exposed the fodder was also known for his matters are under CBI scam in Bihar in December 1995. The proximity to former investigation. final report came out during prime minister Atal Challenge: Sharma’s successor V K Shunglu’s tenure. Bihari Vajpayee appointment is Achievement: Brought international Audit report: The report on the already under exposure to the CAG office: India controversial Sardar Sarovar Project criticism, with became of the panel of UN auditors rapped Narendra Modi’s government allegations of conflict for the first time in 1993. He was for the failure of Gujarat Water Supply of interest, since as a former defence the external auditor for UN from and Sewage Board secretary he may have to audit the 1996-99 Achievement: CAG started to defence ministry as well. Compiled by Ruchika Chitravanshi