Prodded by scathing observations made by the Committee on Public Accounts (PAC), the State government has instructed its departments to initiate timely department-level and legal action wherever officials are found responsible for the theft, misappropriation or loss of government funds or property.
The instruction has been issued in the wake of the PAC expressing, in two separate reports, its displeasure and serious concern over the delay in the registration of FIRs in such cases.
Through a January 5 circular, the Finance department has directed government departments to “ensure immediate action in every case of misappropriation, defalcation, theft or loss of government money or property, and ensure timely legal action including the registration of first information reports (FIR) by the authority concerned wherever warranted, strictly in accordance with law.” The directions are particularly applicable to cases pointed out by the PAC and the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
The PAC had, in its reports tabled in the State Legislative Assembly, had sharply criticised the absence of actions to curb corruption in government departments. More notably, the PAC had also dismissed the justification that departmental action cannot be initiated because a Vigilance probe is already on into such cases.
PAC reports
The committee had drawn attention to these lapses in its 69th report tabled in October 2024 and the 83rd report tabled in September 2025. Further, the PAC had pointed out that no law prevails in the State prohibiting the government from taking departmental action against the culprit on the ground that Vigilance enquiry is on against them.
In a case related to the Treasuries department, the PAC had noted that, “The passive reply of the Director of Treasuries that no departmental action could be taken against the corrupt officials – since there was a Vigilance department order against any departmental enquiry simultaneous with police enquiry – is not acceptable to the Committee,” the 69th report had noted.
The January-5 Finance department circular also requires departments to adhere to definite timelines, to complete the departmental action. Lapses in this regard would be viewed seriously as the action-taken reports are to be submitted to the PAC, it said.
Published – January 16, 2026 05:26 pm IST
