Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla delivered a powerful address to the newest batch of Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS) officers on Thursday, emphasizing their critical role as guardians of public trust and resources. The inaugural ceremony for the 2025 batch of officer trainees was held at Yarrows in Shimla.
A Call to Uphold Constitutional Values
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla called upon the young officers to remain steadfastly committed to constitutional values, integrity, and professional excellence. He described them as the future custodians of the high benchmark set by the audit and accounts service across India. The event also saw participation from officer trainees from the neighboring countries of Bhutan and the Maldives.
Role Beyond Financial Scrutiny
In his speech, Shukla reminded the trainees that they are joining an organization with a direct mandate to safeguard public resources and uphold financial accountability in public administration. "As auditors, your role goes far beyond financial scrutiny," he remarked. He elaborated that every audit conducted by them should be seen as an opportunity for systemic improvement, stronger governance, and enhanced public service delivery.
Strengthening Grassroots Mechanisms
The Governor urged the officers to maintain decorum and foster continuous dialogue to strengthen financial accountability and reporting mechanisms at the grassroots level. He highlighted that their work forms the bedrock of transparent and responsible governance, impacting the lives of ordinary citizens directly.
The ceremony marks the beginning of a rigorous training program for the officers, who will soon be tasked with ensuring the prudent and lawful use of public funds across various government departments and agencies.
