PAC slams MoD for Parakram procurement

The Public Accounts Committee has criticised the procedures which the Defence Ministry had adopted for the procurement of demining equipment worth Rs 103.91 crore to clear minefields laid during Operation Parakram.

The Public Accounts Committee has criticised the procedures which the Defence Ministry had adopted for the procurement of demining equipment worth Rs 103.91 crore to clear minefields laid during Operation Parakram. It has also asked the ministry to explain the perceived mismanagement of the 2003 purchase.

The Army initiated a case to buy demining equipment in August 2002, and the contract was signed in March 2003 with Danish firm Hydrema. In its 34th report, tabled in Parliament today, the PAC observed: 8220;There is something inherently wrong in the system of conception, planning and procurement of urgently required defence equipment.8221; The PAC has criticised the Defence Ministry8217;s decision to procure the equipment through the fast track procurement procedure instead of planning ahead and saving on time and cost. It has also asked the Ministry to explain why deliveries were delayed even though the procurement was to have been under the fast track procedure, which in itself had its 8220;purpose defeated8221;.

The 24 demining systems, which were delivered between June 2003 and March 2004, were ultimately used to remove only 1,182 mines of a total of 2,78,300 mines 0.42 per cent which were laid during the forward mobilisation in the Western sector in late 2002.

The PAC has asked the Ministry to respond with information on the functioning of the equipment, the extent of utilisation of the equipment after Operation Parakram and subsequent to the operation.

The Committee concluded: 8220;We trust that the Ministry will take adequate care to prevent recurrence of lapses witnessed in the instant case, while avoiding the pitfalls of procurement through fast-track mechanism.8221;

States to help check suicides in Services

NEW DELHI: A high-level Defence Ministry meeting on Tuesday decided to establish an inter-services monitoring committee to study the causes of all past incidents and recommend measures to bring down the level of such incidents in the future.

As an immediate measure, however, the government plans to rope in state administrations to help out8212;shortly it will be mandatory for district authorities to address complaints of the family members of those deployed with the armed forces. It was also decided that Defence Minister AK Antony will share the new policy with CMs of states and the Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt will write to the Chief Secretaries. Antony will also speak to CMs of states from which the largest number of jawans come.