‘Shoddy’ management of defence land, says panel

NEW DELHI: Parliament’s audit watchdog, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), may ask the defence ministry to conduct a comprehensive survey of its estates every 10 years and take action against officials for shoddy management of defence land that has resulted in outstanding rentals amounting to ~838 crore.

A draft report of the PAC called for “strict action” against officials who failed to prevent encroachment on defence land and were responsible for non-renewal of leases, encouraged commercial use of defence land and did not demarcate land accurately. The period for which the arrears has been pending ranges from four to 46 years.

The defence ministry is the country’s biggest landholder, possessing 1.76 million acres, managed by the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE).

In its draft report, a copy of which has been reviewed by HT, the PAC asked the ministry to finalise a leasing policy within three months of the report being tabled in Parliament.

Any draft report is discussed and adopted in the committee before it is tabled in Parliament. The final report may incorporate changes and even dissent notes from members of the panel.

Titled ‘Improper Management of Defence Land,’ the report has enumerated several cases that were highlighted in a string of Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) reports, but no effort was made by the ministry or the DGDE to correct the irregularities even after a decade.

THE DEFENCE MINISTRY IS COUNTRY’S BIGGEST LANDHOLDER, HOLDING 1.76 MILLION ACRES, MANAGED BY THE DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF DEFENCE ESTATES