IAF officers, wives flew in VIP planes, ran up Rs 75-cr bill: CAG

[Adux]

IAF officers, wives flew in VIP planes, ran up Rs 75-cr bill: CAG


Manu PubbyPosted online: Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email
NEW DELHI, MAY 14 : The Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) has slammed the Indian Air Force (IAF) for unauthorised use of VIP aircraft by senior defence officers and their spouses that cost the government Rs 75 crore.


Objecting to the conversion of eight An-32 aircraft for VIP use, the CAG report criticised the IAF for diverting the medium tactical transport aircraft from primary duties like troop transport, para-dropping of troops and supplies.

The report tabled in Parliament today says that the IAF had 19 aircraft of a communication squadron earmarked for VIP duty and the conversion of An-32 “lacked justification.”

“Diversion of such large number of aircraft (20 per cent of the total serviceable aircraft with IAF) for VIP use showed an unexpected indifference to its primary role,” said the report, which scrutinized records of the aircraft from 2001-06.

None of the modified aircraft were ever used by the three entitled VIPs (the President, the Prime Minister, and the Vice-President) but by senior service officers and their wives.

The spouses of the air force and army chiefs, president of the Air Force Wives Association (AFWA) and Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) respectively, have specially come under the scanner for unauthorised usage of the service aircraft.

“AFWA/AWWA presidents are not even covered under the category of OEPs (other entitled personages),” the report says.

 

[Adux]

Air Marshal to clarify on Shirdi flight

Express News ServicePosted online: Saturday, April 07, 2007 at 0000 hrs Print Email


NEW DELHI:: Following reports about Air Marshal J S Apte’s alleged use of a service helicopter for a personal visit to Shirdi while on a routine sortie along with his wife Uma Apte, he has been called to New Delhi by the Air Headquarters for an explanation.


Apte, who took over as the AOC-in-C of the Nagpur-based Maintenance Command on March 31, is accused of allegedly visiting the shrine on April 4, with his wife, while on a routine sortie to the HAL’s MiG factory in Ozhar near Nashik.

Sources when contacted by The Indian Express confirmed that an inquiry has been ordered into the matter.

 

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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Indian Air Force aircraft were misused, says report

By Iftikhar Gilani

NEW DELHI: In a major scandal, eight transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) were converted for VIP use, but were misused for travel of the wives of the Army and Air Force chiefs and their accompanying staff. These wives who travelled in their capacity as presidents of the Air Force Wives Association (AFWA) and Army Wives Welfare Association (AWWA) did not have entitlement to use the service aircraft.

Though removed from the regular fleet and reserved for VIP use, the aircraft were never used by VIPs - the president, the vice president and the prime minister, who are the only personages ordinarily entitled to use VIP aircraft. Expenditure incurred on these aircraft since their modification amounted to Rs 750 million. The Indian Air Force already has a specialised Communications Squadron, consisting of two Boeings, four executive jets, seven Avros and six helicopters.

“Given the existence of a specialised and dedicated squadron with adequate number of aircraft for flying VIPs and OEPs (other entitled personages), diverting eight Aircraft “A” for VIP/OEP use was not justified,” says a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

Besides the “VIP” wives of the service chiefs, OEPs such as senior officers of the services, were the only persons making use of the aircraft that were modified despite denial of the approval sought from the government. The CAG report said this was not only irregular but also lacked justification.

The report pointed out that IAF did not have adequate number of serviceable Aircraft ‘A’ (basically medium-level transport aircraft for carrying troops and cargo and used for training in paratrooping and flying schools) for its primary role of air maintenance.

The CAG noted that even the aircraft in the Communications Squadron were under-utilised to the extent of only 3.9 per cent by the three entitled personages and 46.9 per cent by OEPs who can use them only if it is essential to do so. The CAG noted that earmarking aircraft for a VIP role outside the Communications Squadron also led to dilution of control on use of the service aircraft.

In its scathing remarks, the CAG said modification of eight aircraft for VIP role was “both irregular and improper as it was a deviation from the aircraft’s assigned role that had been fixed by the government ... and the operational squadrons of IAF faced serious shortage of serviceable Aircraft ‘A’”.

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