SAI20 Summit | 14 Jun 2023

Why in News?

The SAI20 Summit under India’s G20 Presidency began in Goa, led by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India.

  • The summit focused on setting priorities on Blue Economy and Responsible AI, encouraging collaboration and knowledge sharing among Supreme Audit Institutions (SAIs) (India’s SAI is CAG).

What are the Key Points?

  • Priority Areas:
    • The SAI20 priority areas include “Blue Economy” and “Responsible Artificial Intelligence” which represent new-age opportunities and concerns.
      • These areas underline the need for genuine cooperation among SAIs.
    • Close cooperation among SAIs for knowledge sharing and capacity building is necessary.
  • Center of Excellence in the Blue Economy:
    • A Center of Excellence in the Blue Economy has been established at SAI India’s International Centre for Environment Audit and Sustainable Development (iCED).
    • The vision is to create a Centre of excellence that fosters research and acts as a catalyst for knowledge sharing and capacity building amongst SAIs.
  • Compendiums on Blue Economy and Responsible Artificial Intelligence:
    • Two Compendiums on Blue Economy and Responsible Artificial Intelligence were brought out as a result of support and contributions from various Supreme Audit Institutions.
  • Role of Supreme Audit Institutions:
    • The audit of Blue Economy and Responsible AI is challenging due to their all-pervasive, cross-cutting nature compounded with evolving technology and usage.
    • SAIs has a crucial role to play in the audit of Blue Economy and Responsible AI to ensure good governance, transparency, and accountability.

What is CAG?

  • About:
    • Constitutional Body: Article 148 provides for an independent office of the CAG. It is the supreme audit institution of India.
    • Guardian of the public purse and controls the entire financial system of the country at both the levels–the Centre and the state.
    • The accountability of the executive (i.e., Council of Ministers) to the Parliament in the sphere of financial administration is ensured through audit reports of the CAG.
  • Appointment:
    • Appointed by the President of India by a warrant under his hand and seal.
  • Tenure:
    • A period of six years or upto the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.
  • Removal:
    • CAG can be removed by the President on the same grounds and in the same manner as a judge of the Supreme Court. He does not hold his office till the pleasure of the President.
  • Other Related Points:
    • Not eligible for further office, either under the Government of India or of any state, after he ceases to hold his office.
    • Salary and other service conditions are determined by the Parliament.
    • No minister can represent the CAG in Parliament.
  • Recent Development:
    • Girish Chandra Murmu, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), has been re-elected as External Auditor of the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva for a four-year term from 2024 to 2027. CAG is already holding this position in WHO since 2019 for a four-year term from 2019 to 2023.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20? (2020)

(a) Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey
(b) Australia, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand
(c) Brazil, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam
(d) Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea

Ans: (a)

Exp:

  • The G20 is an informal group of 19 countries and the European Union, with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
  • In order to achieve a robust global economic growth, the member countries which represent and contribute more than 80% of the global GDP came at the premier forum for international economic cooperation, which was agreed by leaders at the Pittsburgh Summit in
  • Pennsylvania (USA) in September 2009.
  • The G20 members include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India,
  • Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Republic of Korea , Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union (EU).
  • Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer

Source: PIB