Duties of C&AG - Audit of Stores and Inventories
Duties of C&AG - Audit of Stores and Inventories
The Comptroller and Auditor General shall have authority to audit and report on the accounts of stores and inventory kept in any office or department of the Union or of a State. Let's understand this duty in detail.
Related Article: The Comptroller and Auditor General- Duties
The aim of the audit of stores is also to bring to the notice of the government any deficiencies in quantities of stores held or any defects in the system of control. And audit is conducted to ascertain whether the Regulations governing purchase, receipt and issue, custody, sale and inventory taking of stores are well devised and properly carried out.
Audit of the accounts of stores and inventories has been developed as a part of expenditure audit with reference to the duties and responsibilities entrusted to C&AG.
The auditor has to ensure that the prices paid are reasonable and are in agreement with those shown in the contract for the supply of stores, and that the certificates of quality and quantity are furnished by the inspecting and receiving units.
The audit of purchase of stores is conducted in the same manner as audit of expenditure, namely, that these are properly sanctioned, made economical and in accordance with the Rules for purchase laid down by the competent authority.
Cases of uneconomical purchase of stores and losses attributable to defective or inferior quality of stores are specifically brought by the audit.
When priced accounts are maintained, the auditor should see that the prices charged are reasonable and have been reviewed from time to time. The valuation of the inventories is seen carefully so that the value accounts tally with the physical accounts and that adjustment of profits or losses due to revaluation, inventory taking or other causes is carried out.
Accounts of receipts, issues and balances are checked regarding accuracy, correctness and reasonableness of balances in inventories with particular reference to the specified norms for level of consumption of inventory holding. Any excess or idle inventory is specifically mentioned in the report and periodical verification of inventory is also conducted to ensure their existence.
