Defence Guard Against Wilful Complaints

[Abingdonboy]

NEW DELHI: During the UPA regime, critical defence acquisition projects worth over $9 billion were cancelled midway due to a huge number of complaints of irregularities and alleged corruption. Now, to make sure that the country’s defence preparedness doesn’t suffer again, the Manohar Parrikar-led Ministry of Defence (MoD) has come out with a comprehensive mechanism to deal with complaints to cut down roadblocks in defence acquisitions.

Parrikar, who is completing a year in South Block next week, has brought out a well-defined ‘fit for purpose’ framework for handling complaints to avoid any stalemate in defence acquisition.

Parrikar’s predecessor A K Antony had forwarded over 50 complaints against various defence deals to India’s anti-fraud agencies, including CBI. Half-a-dozen overseas defence companies have been blacklisted on charges of alleged corruption. According to officials, all these steps—which were aimed at promoting transparency—led to shortages of weaponry and equipment, and prices of some systems shot up by 100 per cent after tenders were cancelled.

Cancelled tenders due to corruption charges include a $720 million VVIP helicopter deal with AgustaWestland and a midair refueler tender worth over $250 million, which was issued in 2007, cancelled in 2009 and restarted in 2010 and is yet to see any result. The global tender for the purchase of 197 light utility helicopters, urgently required by the Army and Air Force for their high-altitude operations, was cancelled in 2008 and issued again in 2009.

Parrikar believes in speedy redressal of complaints. The new MoD guidelines say, “Acquisition-related complaints, if not handled and resolved promptly, have a cascading effect on finalisation of critical defence projects.” The ministry has categorised complaints in three categories: complaints from public representatives, NGOs or activists; from people whose identity is unknown, and from competing vendors.

In case of complaints from public representatives, the outcome of the inquiry into their valid complaint will be posted on the MoD website after blacking out any confidential information keeping in view of the provisions of the protection of whistleblowers. Complaints by competing vendors and the result of the inquiry will not be posted on the website as this may lead to disclosure of commercial or classified information.

In the past, several MPs had made complaints of alleged irregularity or corruption in defence acquisitions. In 2012, Telugu Desam Party Rajya Sabha member M V Mysura Reddy had alleged irregularities in the evaluation process of French fighter jet Rafale. BJP’s Yashwant Sinha had also expressed concern about the Rafale deal. While he was a TMC MP, Ambika Banerjee had also made several complaints to Antony regarding defence procurements. Banerjee was hauled up by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for raising “petty issues”.

Taking cognizance of complaints by pubic representatives’, the new guidelines say, “While genuine complaints serve the objective of ensuring probity and transparency in the procurement process as also resulting in reduction of corruption and saving money for the government, non-genuine complaints have the potential to divert resources, delay procurement cases and cause loss to the buyer. Therefore, the complainant must adduce cogent evidence to prove its genuineness. In case the complainant fails to do so, the complaint may be treated as ‘vexatious or frivilous’.”

MoD guidelines also maintain that any information about malpractice, misconduct or corruption on the part of any entity involved in the acquisition process will be considered as a complaint, and so will be any reference received from a vendor alleging injustice or impropriety in application of the provisions of the Defence Procurement Procedure. The guidelines lay down the timeframe for disposal of complaints.

Talking tough on complaints from competing vendors, MoD says, “If it is prima facie established that complaint is vexatious or frivolous, the same will be referred to Ombudsmen and appropriate action will be initiated against the vendor based on the findings of the Ombudsmen.”

Complaints by MPs

Ambica Banerjee: Alleged procurement scams in the Special Frontier Force. CBI refused to investigate. Also made several complaints about corruption in army canteen store depot.


Praful Patel: Challenged defence ministry and IAF over a deal to acquire 56 transport aircraft to replace aging Hawker Siddley (HS) AVRO 748


Krishna Pratap Singh: Blamed HAL’s design chief T Suvarna Raju for engine selection of HTT-40 trainer aircraft. Defence ministry halted engine procurement.

Mysura Reddy: Complained about irregularities in selection of French fighter jet Rafale

Yashwant Sinha: Also expressed concern about Rafale deal


Defence Guard Against Wilful Complaints -The New Indian Express

And yesterday I posted this:

Indian Political Corner | All Updates & Discussions. | Page 2976

@Star Wars @Bang Galore @Dragon Ball @PARIKRAMA @gslv mk3 @nair



I give Parrikar a lot of criticism but this is very welcome news.

 

[[Bregs]]

This is good decision to cut down on biased complaints to delay a project for ulterior motives mostly to get banned a particular company which might be leader in that category of weapon system to be purchased

 

[Jason bourne]

NEW DELHI: During the UPA regime, critical defence acquisition projects worth over $9 billion were cancelled midway due to a huge number of complaints of irregularities and alleged corruption. Now, to make sure that the country’s defence preparedness doesn’t suffer again, the Manohar Parrikar-led Ministry of Defence (MoD) has come out with a comprehensive mechanism to deal with complaints to cut down roadblocks in defence acquisitions.

Parrikar, who is completing a year in South Block next week, has brought out a well-defined ‘fit for purpose’ framework for handling complaints to avoid any stalemate in defence acquisition.

Parrikar’s predecessor A K Antony had forwarded over 50 complaints against various defence deals to India’s anti-fraud agencies, including CBI. Half-a-dozen overseas defence companies have been blacklisted on charges of alleged corruption. According to officials, all these steps—which were aimed at promoting transparency—led to shortages of weaponry and equipment, and prices of some systems shot up by 100 per cent after tenders were cancelled.

Cancelled tenders due to corruption charges include a $720 million VVIP helicopter deal with AgustaWestland and a midair refueler tender worth over $250 million, which was issued in 2007, cancelled in 2009 and restarted in 2010 and is yet to see any result. The global tender for the purchase of 197 light utility helicopters, urgently required by the Army and Air Force for their high-altitude operations, was cancelled in 2008 and issued again in 2009.

Parrikar believes in speedy redressal of complaints. The new MoD guidelines say, “Acquisition-related complaints, if not handled and resolved promptly, have a cascading effect on finalisation of critical defence projects.” The ministry has categorised complaints in three categories: complaints from public representatives, NGOs or activists; from people whose identity is unknown, and from competing vendors.

In case of complaints from public representatives, the outcome of the inquiry into their valid complaint will be posted on the MoD website after blacking out any confidential information keeping in view of the provisions of the protection of whistleblowers. Complaints by competing vendors and the result of the inquiry will not be posted on the website as this may lead to disclosure of commercial or classified information.

In the past, several MPs had made complaints of alleged irregularity or corruption in defence acquisitions. In 2012, Telugu Desam Party Rajya Sabha member M V Mysura Reddy had alleged irregularities in the evaluation process of French fighter jet Rafale. BJP’s Yashwant Sinha had also expressed concern about the Rafale deal. While he was a TMC MP, Ambika Banerjee had also made several complaints to Antony regarding defence procurements. Banerjee was hauled up by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for raising “petty issues”.

Taking cognizance of complaints by pubic representatives’, the new guidelines say, “While genuine complaints serve the objective of ensuring probity and transparency in the procurement process as also resulting in reduction of corruption and saving money for the government, non-genuine complaints have the potential to divert resources, delay procurement cases and cause loss to the buyer. Therefore, the complainant must adduce cogent evidence to prove its genuineness. In case the complainant fails to do so, the complaint may be treated as ‘vexatious or frivilous’.”

MoD guidelines also maintain that any information about malpractice, misconduct or corruption on the part of any entity involved in the acquisition process will be considered as a complaint, and so will be any reference received from a vendor alleging injustice or impropriety in application of the provisions of the Defence Procurement Procedure. The guidelines lay down the timeframe for disposal of complaints.

Talking tough on complaints from competing vendors, MoD says, “If it is prima facie established that complaint is vexatious or frivolous, the same will be referred to Ombudsmen and appropriate action will be initiated against the vendor based on the findings of the Ombudsmen.”

Complaints by MPs

Ambica Banerjee: Alleged procurement scams in the Special Frontier Force. CBI refused to investigate. Also made several complaints about corruption in army canteen store depot.


Praful Patel: Challenged defence ministry and IAF over a deal to acquire 56 transport aircraft to replace aging Hawker Siddley (HS) AVRO 748


Krishna Pratap Singh: Blamed HAL’s design chief T Suvarna Raju for engine selection of HTT-40 trainer aircraft. Defence ministry halted engine procurement.

Mysura Reddy: Complained about irregularities in selection of French fighter jet Rafale

Yashwant Sinha: Also expressed concern about Rafale deal


Defence Guard Against Wilful Complaints -The New Indian Express

And yesterday I posted this:

Indian Political Corner | All Updates & Discussions. | Page 2976

@Star Wars @Bang Galore @Dragon Ball @PARIKRAMA @gslv mk3 @nair



I give Parrikar a lot of criticism but this is very welcome news.

Yes and u took saint for cleaners also

 

[Abingdonboy]

Yes and u took saint for cleaners also

If only the current GoI or at least the media would do the same....

 

[Dragon Ball]

NEW DELHI: During the UPA regime, critical defence acquisition projects worth over $9 billion were cancelled midway due to a huge number of complaints of irregularities and alleged corruption. Now, to make sure that the country’s defence preparedness doesn’t suffer again, the Manohar Parrikar-led Ministry of Defence (MoD) has come out with a comprehensive mechanism to deal with complaints to cut down roadblocks in defence acquisitions.

Parrikar, who is completing a year in South Block next week, has brought out a well-defined ‘fit for purpose’ framework for handling complaints to avoid any stalemate in defence acquisition.

Parrikar’s predecessor A K Antony had forwarded over 50 complaints against various defence deals to India’s anti-fraud agencies, including CBI. Half-a-dozen overseas defence companies have been blacklisted on charges of alleged corruption. According to officials, all these steps—which were aimed at promoting transparency—led to shortages of weaponry and equipment, and prices of some systems shot up by 100 per cent after tenders were cancelled.

Cancelled tenders due to corruption charges include a $720 million VVIP helicopter deal with AgustaWestland and a midair refueler tender worth over $250 million, which was issued in 2007, cancelled in 2009 and restarted in 2010 and is yet to see any result. The global tender for the purchase of 197 light utility helicopters, urgently required by the Army and Air Force for their high-altitude operations, was cancelled in 2008 and issued again in 2009.

Parrikar believes in speedy redressal of complaints. The new MoD guidelines say, “Acquisition-related complaints, if not handled and resolved promptly, have a cascading effect on finalisation of critical defence projects.” The ministry has categorised complaints in three categories: complaints from public representatives, NGOs or activists; from people whose identity is unknown, and from competing vendors.

In case of complaints from public representatives, the outcome of the inquiry into their valid complaint will be posted on the MoD website after blacking out any confidential information keeping in view of the provisions of the protection of whistleblowers. Complaints by competing vendors and the result of the inquiry will not be posted on the website as this may lead to disclosure of commercial or classified information.

In the past, several MPs had made complaints of alleged irregularity or corruption in defence acquisitions. In 2012, Telugu Desam Party Rajya Sabha member M V Mysura Reddy had alleged irregularities in the evaluation process of French fighter jet Rafale. BJP’s Yashwant Sinha had also expressed concern about the Rafale deal. While he was a TMC MP, Ambika Banerjee had also made several complaints to Antony regarding defence procurements. Banerjee was hauled up by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for raising “petty issues”.

Taking cognizance of complaints by pubic representatives’, the new guidelines say, “While genuine complaints serve the objective of ensuring probity and transparency in the procurement process as also resulting in reduction of corruption and saving money for the government, non-genuine complaints have the potential to divert resources, delay procurement cases and cause loss to the buyer. Therefore, the complainant must adduce cogent evidence to prove its genuineness. In case the complainant fails to do so, the complaint may be treated as ‘vexatious or frivilous’.”

MoD guidelines also maintain that any information about malpractice, misconduct or corruption on the part of any entity involved in the acquisition process will be considered as a complaint, and so will be any reference received from a vendor alleging injustice or impropriety in application of the provisions of the Defence Procurement Procedure. The guidelines lay down the timeframe for disposal of complaints.

Talking tough on complaints from competing vendors, MoD says, “If it is prima facie established that complaint is vexatious or frivolous, the same will be referred to Ombudsmen and appropriate action will be initiated against the vendor based on the findings of the Ombudsmen.”

Complaints by MPs

Ambica Banerjee: Alleged procurement scams in the Special Frontier Force. CBI refused to investigate. Also made several complaints about corruption in army canteen store depot.


Praful Patel: Challenged defence ministry and IAF over a deal to acquire 56 transport aircraft to replace aging Hawker Siddley (HS) AVRO 748


Krishna Pratap Singh: Blamed HAL’s design chief T Suvarna Raju for engine selection of HTT-40 trainer aircraft. Defence ministry halted engine procurement.

Mysura Reddy: Complained about irregularities in selection of French fighter jet Rafale

Yashwant Sinha: Also expressed concern about Rafale deal


Defence Guard Against Wilful Complaints -The New Indian Express

And yesterday I posted this:

Indian Political Corner | All Updates & Discussions. | Page 2976

@Star Wars @Bang Galore @Dragon Ball @PARIKRAMA @gslv mk3 @nair



I give Parrikar a lot of criticism but this is very welcome news.

Good news indeed!!! A huge relief to see common sense, pragmatism, and national interest finally prevail over obsession with image maintaining.

 

[PARIKRAMA]

A very welcome change.. Every MP or MLA on one pretext or another writes a letter complaining and then in 5 secs of fame in front of media says few things, an exclusive and breaking news ticker and endless debates follows suit .. Finally the tender is put on cold mode and cancelled/rejected or never signed as a "committee" looks into the graft charges..

This mud slinging, lobbies and people with vested interest (political, economical, monetary, anything) needs to be clearly told that prove it or else pls dont waste nations time.. Accountability of the whistle blower is never seen but rather always portrayed as a victim of discrimination as he/she led a voice against a wrong doing/corruption. We must differentiate between genuine and non genuine causes and see to it that our crucial procurement dont land us up in ICU due to bottlenecks over false allegations.