(a) whether the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG) has been asked to conduct an audit of the disinvestment of 51 percent equity in BALCO to the Sterlite Industries;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the time by which the Report of CAG is likely to be received?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DISINVESTMENT, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRIES OF PLANNING, STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS AND PUBLIC GRIEVANCES (SHRI ARUN SHOURIE)
(a) & (b) Yes, Sir. At the request of the Department of Disinvestment, the CAG has agreed to conduct a detailed audit of every disinvestment. The audit by the CAG of the BALCO disinvestment has already begun.
(c) Time by which the report of CAG is likely to be received has not been intimated. However, CAG had been requested earlier to consider ways by which the period of conducting the audit and submitting the reports on disinvestments can be shortened to a minimum.