Indian Railways shows red flag to unauthorised expenses
GS3Economy · S&T · Environment · Security· Infrastructure (energy, ports, roads, railways)· Mains·
Why in news
The Railway Board issued a directive to Zonal Railways and Production Units to curb a surge in unauthorized expenditure, which reached ₹9,122 crore in 2023-24.
Background
The Railway Board identified ₹9,122 crore in unauthorized expenditure for the fiscal year 2023-24. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have been involved in reviewing these financial propriety violations.
Facts for Prelims
- BodyRailway Board: The primary body responsible for the management and policy-making of Indian Railways.
- BodyPAC: A parliamentary committee that examines the audit reports of the CAG.
- FactUnauthorized expenditure reached ₹9,122 crore in the 2023-24 period.
For Mains
Q. Discuss the importance of financial propriety in public infrastructure projects and suggest measures to ensure accountability in large-scale government spending.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Audit oversight: Strengthening CAG's real-time monitoring of zonal railway expenditures
- Regulatory friction: Balancing emergency operational needs with strict budgetary variations
- Institutional accountability: Enhancing internal audit mechanisms within Production Units
Keywords: financial propriety · public accountability · fiscal discipline · audit oversight · budgetary control
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This note is generated automatically from SatyaDheesh's news feed and mapped to the UPSC CSE syllabus. Check facts against the original report or PIB before using them in an answer.