Auditors turn to AI, IT tools at national workshop
Three-day NIRDPR meet explores modern techniques for strengthening local governance audits
A three-day national workshop for Directorates of Local Fund Audit (LFA) and state audit departments commenced on Monday at the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR). The event, running from 19 to 21 January 2026, is being organised by the Centre for Internal Audit in Rural Development (CIARD) in collaboration with the International Centre for Audit of Local Governance (iCAL), under the guidance of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
The programme aims to strengthen the capacities of state and local fund audit departments while enhancing the effectiveness and uniformity of audit systems in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies across the country.
During the inaugural session, G Narendra Kumar, Director General of NIRDPR, highlighted the critical role of auditors in ensuring accountability and financial discipline. He noted the increased fund flows under the Fifteenth Finance Commission and stressed the importance of adopting IT, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Assisted Audit Techniques (CAATs) to address modern audit challenges through capacity building and cross-state learning.
Delivering the inaugural address, Manish Kumar, Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (Local Government Audit), underscored the constitutional mandate of audit in strengthening transparency. Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, called for robust audit mechanisms to reinforce democratic decentralisation and fiscal discipline.
H K Dharmadarshi, Director General of iCAL, emphasised the significance of the workshop in promoting uniform, technology-enabled, and outcome-oriented audit practices nationwide.
Introducing the workshop, U Hemantha Kumar, Head of CIARD and Course Director, explained that the programme seeks to consolidate learnings from earlier sessions, examine state-specific best practices, and develop actionable strategies. The curriculum includes discussions on local government accounting, standardisation of audit processes, and the use of innovative digital tools.
The workshop is attended by Principal Accountant Generals and Accountant Generals from various states, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and state audit departments. The deliberations are expected to result in concrete recommendations to improve the institutional framework of local fund audits across India.
