CAG Audit - What is prime responsibility of CAG in audit

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India is an authority instituted vide Article 148 of the Constitution of India. The prime responsibility of this authority is to audit the receipts and expenditures of the state governments and the union government in India including those of the entities and corporations financed by the government. The reports generated by the CAG are crucially important for the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) and Committees on Public Undertakings (COPUs), which are part of the state and central governments. Here are a few FAQs that will clarify many things about CAG?

1. What is full name of CAG?
   The expansion of CAG reads as ‘The Comptroller and Auditor General of India’.
2. Who is the present CAG president?
   The incumbent CAG is Rajiv Mehrishi, IAS who assumed his office on 25 September 2017. Born on August 8, 1955 Rahiv Mehrishi is a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer belonging to the 1978 batch of the Rajasthan cadre. Rajiv is the 13th Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) and also the Vice - Chairman of United Nations Panel of External Auditors.
3. Who was the first CAG in India?
   V. Narahari Rao, a former civil servant was the first CAG who remained in his office from 1948 to 1954. In recognition of his significant contributions to the civil service in India, the government of India awarded him the highest civilian award namely Padma Bhushan in the year 1954.
4. Who can appoint CAG?
   The President of India appoints the CAG (The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India) based on the recommendations made by the Prime Minister. On his appointment to the office, the CAG needs to take the oath or affirmation in front of the President of India.
5. How can the CAG be removed from his office?
   The CAG can be removed from his office only if both the houses of parliament pass a resolution to do so on grounds of misbehavior or incapacity. The tenure of the CAG is 6 years or till the age of 65, whichever happens earlier while he serves from his position.
6. What is the power of CAG?
   Ranked 9th in the country in terms of his powers, the CAG enjoys the status that is similar to that of a judge of the Supreme Court of India.Vide article 148 of the Constitution of India, the CAG enjoys an independent office in the country. The CAG is also the head of the Indian Audit and Accounts Department. He too has the most important duty to protect the interests of the public exchequer. The Indian Audit and Accounts Service provides the support necessary for the CAG to carry out his functions.
7. What are the important functions of CAG?
   Auditing the state and central government accounts and finding the performance of the consolidated fund of the state and the union government's irrespective of whether they happened inside or outside IndiaAuditing all the revenues into the consolidated funds of the state and central governments and all the transactions connected to the public accounts and the contingency funds of the union and state governments.