CAG finds flaws in acquisition of Apache, Chinook helicopters

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has found certain flaws in the acquisition of Apache Attack helicopters for which the US supplied life-expire missiles and the heavy lift helicopter-Chinook in September 2015.

On the Apache attack helicopter, the Audit found that Request for Proposals (RFP) was issued to seven vendors and only three responded.

“All of them could not meet the full set of Air Staff Qualitative Requirements (ASQRs). The tender process was cancelled. The ASQR parameters which could not be met were charged/deleted and fresh tendering was done.

“If these ASQR parameters were not needed, they should not have been included in the first place,” it said.

After re-tendering, the vendors could not still meet the RFP requirements and the Defence Ministry was contemplating re-tendering for a second time. However, after much deliberation, it was approved with deviations. This took 36 weeks against the prescribed four weeks.

The report said the ASQRs were changed based on the advice of Boeing. Contract was finally awarded to Boeing for Apache helicopters.

The RFP required the vendor to offer transfer of technology for maintenance of helicopters. A separate contract was to be signed for maintenance.

Before signing the contract, Boeing convinced the Defence Ministry that transfer of technology and maintenance in India would not be cost effective in view of the small quantity of helicopters.

The Ministry agreed, said the CAG. This amounted to changing the terms of tendering during the process. Moreover, IAF would now be dependent on Boeing for repair and maintenance.

It said missiles for the attack helicopters were to be supplied by the US government under an Inter Government Agreement (IGA). The US government supplied life-expired missiles.

On Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, the national auditor observed that the ASQRs were prepared such that it were aligned with the features of Chinook helicopters.

Two helicopters, namely Chinook and MiG 26, were technically qualified. Chinook has a capacity of carrying 11 tonnes of load with a seating capacity of 45 troops. MiG 26 has a capacity of 20 tonnes and 82 troops.

“IAF ended up comparing the price of two helicopters with widely varying technical characteristics. Chinook being cheaper was selected.

“When IAF was preparing the ASQRs, Army desired that the helicopter should be able to carry artillery guns inside the cabin. IAF did not include this requirement of the Army on the grounds that if this would include only one vendor would qualify,” it said.

On the acquisition of basic trainer aircraft, Pilatus, in May 2012, the CAG said equity was not maintained in price evaluation.

In its price bid, M/s Pilatus had stated the price of two items to be exclusive of its bid price. However, after opening the bid and before the determination L1, M/s Pilatus was allowed to change the price bid to make the two items inclusive of the total bid price.

Against the requirement of spare of five years, Pilatus supplied spares for only three years. This does not rule out the possibility that Pilatus under-quoted for the spare.

According to the contract, Pilatus was to provide transfer of technology for maintenance, within three years of signing of the procurement contract. Technology was to be transferred to HAL. The contract for maintenance, ToT could not be signed between Pilatus and HAL because the offer of Pilatus was incomplete.

HAL also could not create the required facilities for maintenance. The responsibility for maintenance was, therefore, given to IAF instead of HAL. Contract for maintenance is yet to be signed. As a result, a substantial portion of the fleet of 75 aircraft delivered n 2015 remained grounded as on May 2018, the CAG observed.

Source:- https://insightonlinenews.in

Prez rule in WB not possible after case heard by SC: Nitish

Amid a national brouhaha over the developments in Kolkata on Sunday evening involving CBI and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Bihar CM and NDA ally Nitish Kumar played it down saying election is round the corner and many things will happen in next one month. 

However when asked about imposition of President rule in West Bengal, Nitish said, “It is not possible since the matter is under hearing of the Supreme court.”

Nitish added,” All parties are concerned about votes but none is concerned about the nation.”

On the police lathi charge on RLSP chief and former Union minister Upendra Kushwaha in which he was injured on Saturday, Nitish said everything was on record who provoked police. Asking DGP Gupteshwar Pandey to direct police force for observing patience, the CM said the police react only when it is hit and when the police react only a senior officer could stop them.

On Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s rally at Gandhi maidan, Nitish said any party could make any promises before polls. He asked why during Congress or UPA governments at centre Patna University was not accorded central University status?

He said Rahul compromised his image by joining hands with those convicted in corruption cases (Lalu Yadav). ” It is the same person who had torn the ordinance and enhanced his image but nie corruption was no longer an issue for him.”

Rahul sounds poll bugle from Patna’s Gandhi Maidan

Sounding the poll bugle from Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan on Sunday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi predicted a Congress led alliance government in Delhi and promised minimum income guarantee to all the poor people and waiving the loans of the farmers in the country.

Addressing a mammoth rally organized by the Congress after 28 years in Patna, Rahul declared to fight from front foot with the help of RJD, RLSP, HAM and other allies not only in Lok Sabha polls this year but also in 2020 Bihar assembly election. “We with Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav will fight from front foot and make big score to uproot the present regimes,” he said.

(Rahul went hammer and tongs against the Narendra Modi and the BJP and repeated“Chowkidar chor hai” slogan). “today entire nation knows that chowkidar is chor (thief) who benefitted his few industrialist friends and cheated the common people, poor and farmers.

“To favour his 15-20 friends Modi demonetized Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes and brought Rs 2000 notes. Demonetization is worlds’ biggest scandal. He waived 3.5 lakh crore of rupees of his friends but not of any farmer. He went to foreign countries taking Anil Ambani and got him struck arms deal. Anil Ambani alone had a loan of Rs one lakh crore which was waived,” alleged Rahul.

Rahul also criticized Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and said he too was making false promises like Modi and asked people to vote them out. “All the opposition parties should unite to ensure that neither BJP nor Nitish’s party win a single seat in Bihar,” he said.

The Congress chief was critical about the educational decline in Bihar and said once Nalanda University was world fame and students from across the globe would come here for education but now nothing was happening for its revival. Similarly he said Patna University was a premier institute in the country but lost its glory. “I promise

that with Congress coming to power in Delhi we will declare Patna University as Central University,” he announced amid much applause by the youths.

Others who addressed the rally included Madhya Pradesh CM Kamalnath, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Sharad Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Tariq Anwar, Sadanand Singh and Satyanarain Singh of CPI among others.

This was one of the biggest rally at Gandhi Maidan in recent memory and first by Congress after 28 years, the last one was addressed by Rajiv Gandhi in 1990. All the roads led to the maidan since morning and people in group carrying Congress flags were seen moving towards the venue. “This rally and the enthusiasm of them people is clear indication that people have decided for change and the impact of the rally will be seen in the election,” said Bihar Congress president Madan Mohan Jha.        

Source:- https://insightonlinenews.in

Kushwaha joins Grand Alliance in Bihar

Kushwaha joins Grand Alliance in Bihar

In What Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son Tejaswi Yadav described as a sign of “changing political weather” after the Assembly election results in three Hindi heartland States, former Union Minister for Education Upendra Kushwaha joined the Congress-led UPA on Thursday, claiming that backward caste leaders and alliance partners are routinely “humiliated” by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.

Tejaswi Yadav alleged that by joining hands with the BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has “raped” the people’s mandate in the State, which was for the Mahagathbandhan (Grand Alliance) in Bihar. He said as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was “betrayed” by the BJP in Kashmir, and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra is routinely complaining to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where the regional parties have quit the NDA, it has become clear that allies are restive and the political climate has become more favourable to a Congress-led coalition.

Changing political weather

He specifically mentioned the criticism of BJP emanating from Chirag Paswan, MP from Jamui and the son of Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, who has famously been described by Lalu Prasad Yadav as the best “Mausam Vaigyanic (weatherman)” who reads political climate, and said: “It is a clear indication that the political weather has changed.”

At a press conference addressed by veteran Sharad Yadav — who heads a splinter group of the Janata Dal (United) against Nitish Kumar — former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi; Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejaswi Yadav; Congress leaders Ahmad Patel Shakti Singh Gohil, Upendra Kushwaha joined the UPA condemning the “dictatorship” that, he said, prevails in the NDA under Modi. Kushwaha said all hopes in Modi and his leadership which inspired him to join the NDA in 2014 have been belied.

“Modi promised the people of Bihar that they will not be forced to migrate to other States for padhai, dawai aur kamai (education, health and jobs). But I have never seen a leader whose conduct is so vastly different from what he professes to believe in; there has never been any other leader who does exactly the opposite of what he says,” said Kushwaha.

On PM’s conduct

Kushwaha compared the PM’s conduct with the Congress and Rahul Gandhi. “Rahul Gandhi promised during Assembly election campaign that there will be a farm-loan waiver. And look what has happened in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh… Everywhere, the promises have been fulfilled within two days. This is what I mean by credibility;, your voice as a leader should carry some weight,” the former NDA ally said.

Tejaswi Yadav took the dais, describing the present political situation as a “state of undeclared Emergency by Modi” where Opposition leaders and dissenting voices are either being jailed or silenced by a threat of criminal investigations. He said people and political parties across India have understood the “duplicitous” nature of the BJP.

“Upendra Kushwaha joining the Grand Alliance in Bihar is the will of the people. What they are doing to democracy, institutions such as the CBI and the RBI. The way they are trampling on the Constitution is the most dangerous thing to have happened since the Emergency. People have sensed this and they will give a befitting reply to the BJP in the next elections,” said Tejaswi Yadav.

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