Tatra drives holes in Army's Budget: Politicians and Bureaucrats Coffers and Pockets Padded

May 18, 2012 at 06:48am IST
BEML fleecing Army, providing poor service
New Delhi: In fresh trouble for defence PSU BEML, the Defence Ministry has received a complain accusing it of charging exhorbitant rates for spare parts of vehicles.
A copy of the complaint has been accessed by CNN-IBN. According to the complaint, BEML was over charging for spare parts of armoured recovery vehicles.
The complaint has cited cost escalation of up to 800 per cent in spare parts bought from BEML. The Defence Ministry has received a complaint accusing BEML of charging exorbitant rates for spare parts of vehicles.
New Delhi: In fresh trouble for defence PSU BEML, the Defence Ministry has received a complain accusing it of charging exhorbitant rates for spare parts of vehicles.
A copy of the complaint has been accessed by CNN-IBN. According to the complaint, BEML was over charging for spare parts of armoured recovery vehicles.
The complaint has cited cost escalation of up to 800 per cent in spare parts bought from BEML. The Defence Ministry has received a complaint accusing BEML of charging exorbitant rates for spare parts of vehicles.
Non-return valve, which costs an estimated Rs 1,600 was supplied by BEML at Rs 39,550 in 2008-09, whereas, bolts that cost Rs 424 were sold by BEML at Rs 15,480 in the same year.
The complaint further says that in 2010-11, truck axle available for Rs 5,242, were sold by BEML for Rs 1.25 lakh, which is an escalation of over 2000 per cent.
BEML fleecing Army, providing poor service
Related reading
CBI intensifies probe on Tatra deal; questions more people
Complex Tatra purchase deal making holes in Army's budget
Comment:Liechtenstein trusts legal claims Ravi Rishi. The scamster's flourishing business is all about a perfect money laundering cycling route in tax havens which will be buried like Bofors by CBI.

President's Pune Home: Is surrender of land a diversionary tactic?

President returns Pune plot to Govt.
April 28, 2012 2:20 am
President Pratibha Patil, who has recently come at the centre of a controversy over her post-retirement home in Pune, on Friday decided to give up the controversial plot back to the government.
Confirming the development, the Presidential spokesperson said, “President Patil has decided to give up the Pune land on which a bungalow, meant to be her post-retirement home, was to be built back to the government.”
“The President is answerable to the people of India, Constitution and her conscience. The land will remain with the government,” Presidential spokesperson said. The controversy about President Pratibha Patil’s post-retirement home erupted after an organisation of ex-servicemen in Pune alleged that over fives acres of land had been allotted for purpose of her residence after she demits office later in July this year when her five-year term ends.
Suresh Patil, a retired Lt Col of the Pune-based ‘Justice for Jawan’, part of NGO ‘Green Thumb’ group, who has accessed details about the Government’s measures for providing her housing in Pune, claimed that a large extent of land measuring over 2.60 lakh square feet had been allotted to her in Khadki cantonment in Pune.
He claimed that a house with a plinth area of 4,500 square feet was being built for her by bringing down two British-era county bungalows. The former Army official questioned why such a large extent of land was being fenced to protect this house for Pratibha Patil, who recently made news when an RTI application brought out the fact that over Rs 205 crore were spent on her foreign travels.
President returns Pune plot to Govt.

One Rank One Pension: Babu's Spin the Government

Himachal ex-servicemen to honour Army Chief V K Singh
Press Trust of India / Dharamsala May 15, 2012, 00:05
The Himachal Pradesh ex-servicemen's league will honour Army Chief General V K Singh on May 25 here for his stand on the alleged corruption in the armed forces.
"The working and the retired band of soldiers in the state are impressed with the General, the way he has exposed the ugly underbelly of the corruption in the forces," Chairman of the state ex-servicemen's league, Major Vijay Singh Mankotia said.
Stating that Himachal Pradesh was the only state in the country to get four Param Vir Chakras, he said the families of soldiers who have given the supreme sacrifice will be honoured by the Army chief on the day.
The demand for 'One-Rank, One-Pension,' and other issues will also be raised at the rally on May 25, he said.
Himachal ex-servicemen to honour Army Chief V K Singh
Read more
Gen VK Singh to address ex-servicemen on May 25 Tribune News Service

Centre in agreement with principle of ‘One Rank One Pension’
The Ministry of Defence is in agreement with the principle of ‘One Rank One Pension’ demand of the ex-servicemen, said Chief of Army staff General V K Singh.
Addressing a rally of the ex-servicemen here, he said the implementation of the One Rank One Pension involved an expenditure of Rs 1300 crore.
He added that the implementation could not be made time bound as such decisions had to pass through several levels of the government before becoming a reality.
The government had, however, agreed to the demand, he added.
Gen Singh also said that he had introduced several plans to bridge the gap between the veterans and the serving army officials.
To sort out their demands he had set up a ‘Veteran Cell’ in the Army two years ago. He conceded that it was the duty of the Army to ensure that the rights of the ex-servicemen were taken care of.
Assuring the ex-servicemen “You will certainly get your rights and will not have to ask for it”, the Chief of Army staff said, 20 more centres would soon be set up in Punjab under the ex-servicemen contributory health scheme.
The army chief further said that he had written to the government to restore the old system of Canteen Store Departments (CSD) to the Army as the current system was not working to the satisfaction of the defence personnel.
Later talking to media persons, Gen Singh when asked about his letters to the Government on the issues of corruption and the inadequate stores in the armaments, Gen Singh said that the ball was now in the court of the government.
“I have done my duty, now it is for the government to act”, he added.
Centre in agreement with principle of ‘One Rank One Pension’