Nirmala Sitharaman Urges Civil Accounts Officials to Make Government Annual Accounts More User-Friendly

New Delhi, March 1: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, addressing the 49th Civil Accounts Day event in New Delhi on Saturday, emphasized the importance of making the government's annual financial accounts more accessible and user-friendly to citizens.

Highlighting the role of technology in governance, Sitharaman praised officials of the Indian Civil Accounts Service (ICAS), led by the Controller General of Accounts (CGA), for facilitating a "silent technological revolution." This digital shift has significantly enhanced operational ease for states through the Public Financial Management System (PFMS).

Making Annual Accounts Citizen-Friendly​

Sitharaman specifically encouraged ICAS officials, in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), to explore possibilities of simplifying the annual accounts. She underscored the need for reports that citizens can easily analyze and customize, stating:

"I would also like you to examine, in consultation with the CAG, whether it would be possible to make the annual accounts more approachable and user-friendly and allow citizens to analyse easily and generate customisable and simpler reports."

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The Finance Minister suggested that leveraging already available digital data integration with the states could spark greater public interest and enhance transparency.

Smooth Rollout of SNA Sparsh System​

Focusing on the future, Sitharaman directed the Department of Expenditure and the CGA to ensure a smooth implementation of the SNA Sparsh system across all centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) in the upcoming financial year. She advised CGA officials to actively assist state governments in transitioning seamlessly to this new system, emphasizing the benefits and encouraging quick adaptation.

"CGA should handhold states in seamless onboarding and transition from whichever (platform) they have to the SNA Sparsh and convince them about the benefits of this reform and quick adaptation," she added.

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PFMS: Transforming Public Financial Management​

The PFMS, developed and maintained by the CGA under the Department of Expenditure, offers a comprehensive digital platform for end-to-end digital payments, receipt collections, and accounting. It supports efficient cash management in the central government through timely fund transfers and real-time tracking of funds to beneficiaries.

The recently enhanced SNA module, incorporated under the PFMS, significantly improves monitoring of funds allocated to states under various CSS. Currently, the SNA module covers:

• 141 Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS)
• 4,972 state-linked schemes
• Over 15 lakh implementing agencies
• Fund transfers exceeding ₹13.60 lakh crore from the Central government.

Promoting Public Awareness on Taxpayer Money Utilisation​

Furthermore, Sitharaman urged Civil Accounts Officers to actively engage with the public to raise awareness of efficient taxpayer money utilization. She stressed that every rupee from taxpayers must be utilized prudently, emphasizing the critical role that Civil Accounts Officers play in managing the country's financial health.

"Every rupee is taken seriously and therefore some public engagements to make people understand that this is the most critical job for the finances of the country, not just for the government of India," Sitharaman concluded.

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By advocating for transparent and approachable financial reporting, Sitharaman reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring fiscal accountability and enhancing public trust in financial governance.