CAG health audit: Delhi Assembly sets July 31 deadline for submission of action taken report

The Delhi Legislative Assembly on Thursday directed all concerned departments to implement the recommendations of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) based on a CAG audit of public health infrastructure, mandating submission of an action taken report by July 31.

The direction follows the House adopting the PAC’s first report, which reviewed public health infrastructure and the management of health services for the year ending March 31, 2022.

Departments have been asked to submit a comprehensive ATR indicating the status of implementation as of June 30, the Assembly Secretariat said in a statement.

The Secretariat has also written to the health minister and the health secretary of the Delhi government, seeking a time-bound response to the audit findings and the PAC’s recommendations.

Speaker Vijender Gupta said, “The aim is to ensure that audit findings lead to concrete action on the ground. Strengthening public healthcare infrastructure and ensuring equitable access to quality services remain key priorities.”

The PAC’s first report, based on the CAG audit, provides a detailed assessment of public health infrastructure, service delivery systems and the management of health services. It requires departments to specify the status of assurances, progress made on each recommendation and clear timelines for completion in the actio taken report (ATR), which will be placed before the Assembly.

Officials said the move is aimed at ensuring accountability and translating audit observations into concrete administrative action within a defined timeframe.

The speaker also stressed that healthcare policies must remain inclusive, taking into account people migrating to Delhi for livelihood, education and medical care.

He said affordable and quality healthcare services must be ensured for all, irrespective of a person’s state of origin, and emphasised the need to strengthen public hospitals, expand insurance coverage and invest in preventive healthcare.

The direction marks the beginning of a structured follow-up mechanism to ensure time-bound compliance with the PAC’s observations, the statement added.