The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, in its reports on defence land, has exposed serious irregularities in the functioning of the authorities. The reports of the PAC, which has examined the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, are likely to be tabled in Parliament next week.
In its report on Defence Estate Management, the PAC—empowered to audit the expenditure of the government—is said to have indicted the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for misuse of defence land for golf courses, offering membership to civilians charging huge sums which are not even credited to the government account. Sources said 16 golf courses under the Army’s control are offering membership to civilians and in some cases even to foreign diplomats. Of 97 golf courses under the Army, it is learnt that records of 18 were not even produced for audit and before the parliamentary panel for scrutiny.
“Most of such golf courses are using Army’s land and infrastructure but registered as private societies to escape the scrutiny of audit. They are not paying any lease rent or charges for using government assets. This irked PAC which has asked the MoD to submit a status report about all golf courses and membership amount collected by the regiment concerned,” a source said.
The PAC is understood to have told MoD that golf is not an authorised activity as per the rules under accommodation for defence services. Citing the cantonment land administration rules, 1937, the PAC has observed that recreation grounds cannot be used for golf courses and recommended revisiting of the entire policy of golf courses for strict action.
The panel, sources said, was shocked to find that over 14,000 acres of defence land was encroached upon by civilians. The PAC has slammed defence estate officers for not monitoring and investigating the encroachments.
“Involvement of multiple authorities seems to be the main problem for lack of coordination. The PAC is learnt to have recommended setting up of a single unified authority for management and protection of defence land and to recover encroached lands,” sources said.
It is learnt that the parliamentary panel has also raised concerns over negligible amount received in return for vast tract of defence land leased by defence estate management. A total of 2,500 acres of defence land worth over Rs 11,000 crore was leased for only Rs 2.13 crore which has surprised the panel. The PAC has also noticed that there were no efforts made to renew over 3,700 cases of lease and status of lease was not even known in over 1,000 cases. Sources said the MoD had informed the panel that a comprehensive policy is being formulated to look into the matter.
“The parliamentary panel has asked the government to bring the new policy in force in the next six months,” sources said.