Replacement of artillery guns with state-of-the-art guns progressing at slow pace: CAG report

New Delhi: The Comptroller and Auditor Basic of India has flagged that the alternative of present artillery weapons with state-of-the-art weapons has been progressing at a “sluggish tempo” for over final 20 years. The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor Basic on Union Authorities (Defence Companies) – Military and Ordnance Factories was offered within the Parliament on Monday.

“C&AG’s Report No. 6 of 2023, Union Authorities (Defence Companies) – Military and Ordnance Factories for the yr ended March 2020 was laid on the desk of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,” the audit physique mentioned in a press release.

This report comprises the outcomes of audit of the transactions for the yr ended March 2020 pertaining to the Division of Defence, the Indian Military, the Inter-Companies Organisations similar to Navy Engineer Companies (MES), Canteen Shops Division (CSD), and so forth., the Defence Analysis and Growth Organisation (DRDO) and the Ordnance Factories beneath the Ministry of Defence, it mentioned.

The CAG has additionally shared about its findings on the acquisition of artillery gun system amongst different areas.

“The alternative of the prevailing artillery weapons with state-of-the-art weapons has been progressing at a sluggish tempo for during the last 20 years.

“Of the six proposals for acquisition/upgradation of artillery weapons, solely three culminated into contracts constituting 17 per cent out of the entire numbers of artillery weapons deliberate for acquisition. The acquisition course of suffered from delays at numerous levels of procurement,” the assertion mentioned.

Requests for Proposal (RFP) have been issued, retracted, and once more issued on account of “poor response/non-compliance to the qualitative necessities” by the distributors, it mentioned.Additional, the method of the sphere analysis was not standardised with respect to the time interval concerned, it mentioned.

The delays underscore the necessity for the ministry/Military headquarters to make sure that qualitative necessities for capital acquisition of weapon methods are formulated on reasonable foundation by predicating all the course of on a rigorous expertise scan, and likewise devising a mechanism for fast area/workers evaluations, the assertion mentioned.

Amongst different findings, it mentioned the audit of 13 out of 62 Cantonment Boards (CBs) within the nation revealed “a number of lacunae” within the civic facilities offered by the boards to their residents, in accordance with the assertion by the CAG.

It mentioned just one CB had a useful sewage remedy plant and 5 CBs had strong waste processing vegetation for scientific disposal of strong waste.

Eleven CBs have been inadequately outfitted to offer medical companies to their residents, it mentioned.

Two CBs have been closely depending on grants-in-aid. Allocation in opposition to the calls for of funds for creation of capital property was meagre within the chosen CBs, it mentioned.

Additional, an quantity of Rs 2461.16 crore was excellent in opposition to the Defence Companies and different central/state authorities departments on account of municipal taxes and repair costs raised by these CBs, the assertion mentioned.

Moreover, development of three twin Igloos, 4 explosive retailer homes and allied works have been taken up in Could 2003. Nevertheless, on account of ambiguity in contract paperwork resulting in dispute (Could 2007) with the contractor, development of the property might solely be accomplished in December 2013, it mentioned.

“Additional, regardless of an expenditure Rs 4.01 crore, the Igloos have been additionally not constructed to the specified concrete specs and the online explosive content material of Igloos was downgraded.

“Furthermore, just one Igloo was put to make use of in June 2022, which additionally suffered from profuse leakage and seepage in monsoon. Thus the meant advantages of developing Igloos for storage of ammunition couldn’t be derived,” it noticed within the assertion.

Snow and Avalanche Institution (SASE) beneath the aegis of DRDO is accountable to offer avalanche forecasting assist to the companies together with recommendation on avalanche management measures.

“Though SASE was conscious (2017) of the necessity to improve the variety of Guide Observatories (MO)/Automated Climate Stations (AWS) to enhance forecasting accuracy, a complete plan of motion for the aim was but to be finalised,” it flagged.

The sanction of a brand new Ordnance Manufacturing facility at Korwa was accorded (October 2007) by the Ministry of Defence for manufacture of two kinds of carbines viz. Shut Quarter Battle (CQB) carbines by import with Switch of Expertise (ToT) and of Protecting carbines by indigenous manufacturing.

“Nevertheless, neither of the carbines could possibly be developed (March 2022) as per Military’s specification even after a lapse of 14 years of the venture sanction,” it mentioned.

“Ordnance Manufacturing facility Khamaria (OFK) was unable to efficiently take a look at the indigenously developed Arming Machine of an ammunition even after a lapse of 17 years of the Switch of Expertise (ToT) contract with the OEM on account of inordinate delay of greater than 10 years in procurement of the Flight Knowledge Recorder.

“Regardless of lack of prescribed testing infrastructure, OFK injudiciously procured bulk amount of uncooked materials and manufactured bulk amount of Arming Gadgets which resulted in idle funding of Rs 77.11 crore,” the assertion mentioned.

Canteen Shops Division Head Workplace (CSD HO) processes payments for cost to the suppliers by an outdated software program programme, it mentioned.

The continued use of the outdated software program, coupled with insufficient controls enabled a number of entries of the identical payments within the system leading to “a number of situations of double funds” to suppliers, it mentioned.