writing

Chanakya famously taught young Chandragupta Maurya that it was not enough to cut off an offending plant — you must destroy its roots. The roots of Maoism lie in the deficit of democracy and development in large parts of rural, particularly tribal, India

It is a reflection of India’s swift implementation of a sophisticated Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System for Government departments and the interest shown by the member countries from the region towards an effective, efficient and transparent governance.


Government Performance Management Network to share experiences and emerging regional best practices on an ongoing basis. 


Chanakya, the great thinker and administrator, had stated in the Arthashastra that prevention was better than cure and if regular checks and balances were conducted from time to time, economic crises would not occur. It was therefore the duty of the ruler to ensure that accounting was done and auditing took place from time to time. This philosophy was adopted in different measures in subsequent societies and has finally culminated in the institution of the CAG in modern, independent India. 


Executive accountability to the legislature is a cornerstone of our democracy. It is also an essential component of good governance. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India, is the instrument of fiscal accountability provided for in the Constitution. His primary role is to report to the Legislature whether the activities of the Government in all financial matters are carried out in accordance with the Constitution and the laws and rules framed thereunder – both in letter and in spirit. He also provides assurance that the sums authorized by the legislature in the budget have been spent for the intended purposes and within the sanctioned limits. The members of the Indian Audit & Accounts Department have the task of assisting the Comptroller and Auditor General to effectively carry out his Constitutional mandate. 


The range of Government activities has increase manifold and many players, other than the Central and State Governments, such as local bodies, societies, NGOs and private sector, through public private partnerships, have become partners in the process of development. This has introduced complexities in fund flows, expenditure, accounting and evaluation. 


To remain relevant in this rapidly changing world every institution has to consciously review and modernize its procedures and practices.


We should recognise that the objective of the executive and audit are the same, viz. that the aam aadmi gets the greatest benefit. This overarching reality often gets lost in practice. It is a natural tendency to become defensive on audit reports which comment on performance. This phenomenon can be tackled through greater interaction and frequent engagement at different levels as it facilitates an understanding of each other’s view point. I have learnt with great satisfaction that Audit has taken steps in the right direction by highlighting the innovations, good practices and positive aspects noticed in the implementation of programme. 


 am happy to learn that you have collaborated with the Government in developing a control based risk management framework which is going to be applied in implementing various schemes. This will provide an in-house oversight mechanism which will empower the field level officers to prevent, detect and set the right inefficiencies and leakages by suitable interventions. Consequently, the deliveries should improve. Some of the performance audits done by your department in the recent past also underline the positive interactions and the collaborative approach which has led to effective mid-course corrections that will contribute substantially to the achievement of the overall objectives. Such initiatives will encourage free exchange of information and ideas, leading to better governance. 

writing

Writing a paragraph is not a natural skill, but learned skill. Anyone can learn! Simply follow the structure below.

WHAT IS A PARAGRAPH?

A paragraph usually contains a general idea in one sentence, and 4 - 5 supporting sentences which expand this idea by giving explanation, details and/or examples to support the main idea. Length can vary. On the page, the paragraph is a solid block of writing (like this!) To start a new paragraph, you should leave a whole line and start at the beginning of the line after. You can indent - if handwriting (start about 2 cm from the left), but this is not necessary if you have left a line.

WHY USE PARAGRAPHS?

Paragraphs are used to separate main ideas. A new paragraph signals to the reader that a new idea is about to be discussed. The break between paragraphs gives the reader time to take in each idea.

HOW IS A PARAGRAPH STRUCTURED?

There is no one correct structure. However, a useful structure is:

1. Topic Sentence      This is the first sentence and it expresses the main idea. 2. Supporting Sentences details that expand your main idea. 3. Concluding Sentence a rounding off, possibly by summarizing what has been said or drawing a logical conclusion from it. (Note that in a piece of writing which is longer than one paragraph you should leave yourconclusion to the very end!)

Another way of explaining the 3 parts of a paragraph is to describe these parts like this:

1.  Say what you are going to say.   2.  Say it.   3.  Say what you've said!

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING of paragraph structure. Choose which of the following sentences is the topic sentence for a planned paragraph about Australian Government. (Click on A, B, C or D) The Commonwealth Government looks after areas of national importance. There are three levels of government in Australia. Local concerns, such as suburban streets and garbage services are looked after by Local Government. The State Government's responsibilities include hospitals, schools and state police forces.

HOW DO YOU WRITE A PARAGRAPH?

Planning is essential. Even in situations where time is limited, you should plan by briefly noting your points.

A plan can look like this:

When you are planning, Jot down Just enough to remind you of your points.

Number your points so that when you write you know what order you are going to write them in.

WRITING...

For an assessment task, you will probably need to

Write one draft from your plan,   then make corrections (edit your draft)   then rewrite it.   Even professional writers do this!

Sample of the finished paragraph: There are three levels of government in Australia. The Commonwealth looks after areas of national importance such as postal services, foreign affairs, and collecting and distributing taxes. It also supervises the armed forces. The State Governments' responsibilities include hospitals, schools and the state police forces. Local concerns, such as suburban streets and garbage services, are looked after by Local Government. So, in general, the responsibilities of each level of government are appropriate to the geographical area it serves.

HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR PARAGRAPHS FLOW?

Sometimes writing sounds jerky when read. You can make your paragraph more flowing by:

1.  Using linking words and phrases such as: also, as well as, firstly, next, then, finally, so thus, as a result, because, therefore, for example, for instance, in contrast, on the other hand. 2.  Using pronouns: Once mentioned, Jack Smith can become he, Dr. Susan Brown can be she, and the community can be called it, - as long as the meaning is clear. 3.  Starting sentences in different ways. For example:   Draft sentence: "In Australia, there are three levels of government"  Instead, you could write... "Government in Australia is on three different levels"  or... "There are three different levels of government in Australia."

Warning! Of course, the focus of the sentence may change if you start a different wall - be sure it is what you want!

FINALLY...

The paragraph is basic to most writing styles. It is worth spending some time getting it right.