NEW DELHI, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Rajiv Mehrishi on Monday took over as the new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India, officials said.
Mehrishi was administered oath of office and secrecy by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind at a special ceremony at his official residence known as Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Indian Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were also present at the function, officials said.
CAG of India audits all receipts and expenditure of the government of India and the state governments, including those organisations substantially financed by the government.
Mehrishi has served as a top bureaucrat in Indian home ministry and has replaced Shashi Kant Sharma.
The reports of CAG are considered to be authentic and objective.
In July this year the auditor said food served by Indian railways in its trains and stations is unhygienic and unfit for human consumption.
In 2012 the national auditor pointed out that the country's coal mining rights were sold off at cheaper rates to private companies and the lack of transparency according to CAG incurred a loss of around 33 billion US dollars.
