New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) With the PAC calling the three Services heads to question them in connection with the alleged irregularities in CSD, Army Chief General V K Singh today said he had “no problems” to appear before the panel if the Defence Ministry wanted him to do so.
Noting that he was yet to see the PAC letter, the Army chief said he was not aware if there was an “extra requirement” for the Services heads to go there as normally the Ministry sends the concerned people with the senior officials whenever the PAC writes to it.
“There are two-three issues raised by the CAG on which the PAC wants to ask or clarify various points. It depends on what the Ministry wants from us. If it wants us to go and clarify, we have got no problem in doing that,” Singh said when asked if he would appear before the PAC.
He was speaking to reporters after launching a book ‘Kurukshetra to Kargil‘ by Brigadier K Kuldip Singh, published by Lancers.
“Lot of things are pointed out on procedural aspects, it is not that there is scam or something,” he added.
The chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force have been called on January 12 by the PAC for a hearing on the Committee on Canteen Stores Department (CSD) based on audit report which had pointed out irregularities in the supply chain management of rations in Army.
The communication from the PAC was received by the Defence Ministry today and it was forwarded to the three Services, asking them to provide assistance to the Committee as desired by it.
However, Army sources said yesterday said the Chiefs of the Services are unlikely to appear before the Committee and instead Vice Chiefs and Quarter Master General equivalents would represent their forces.
This is for the first time that the Services chiefs have been called by the PAC.
“Normally, the procedure is that the PAC writes a letter to the Ministry, which sends out the concerned people with the representatives of the Ministry which either is the Defence Secretary or the Additional Secretary,” Singh said.
Highlighting the irregularities in the CSD, the CAG had said, “The existing procedure for provisioning of dry rations failed to assess the requirement realistically. The failure was mainly due to systemic deficiencies due to which different quantities were worked out at different echelons applying different parameters…”
The report had said that the risk of existence of “cartels” affecting the quantity and quality of rations is too serious to be ignored.
“Ministry of Defence should set clear targets regarding expansion of vendor base and progress should be closely monitored. The list of vendors should be put on the website of the Army Service Corps,” it had said.
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