the committee first received a briefing from audit officials before recording oral evidence from representatives of the defence ministry.
NEW DELHI: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Sub-Committee on Defence on Friday reviewed key audit findings related to the ministry of defence, with Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan’s successor, General Raja Subramani, and senior defence officials appearing before the panel at Parliament House Annexe.The meeting, chaired by BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi, focused on examining observations made by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) regarding defence projects, particularly the execution of Military Engineer Services (MES) contracts and cases involving abandoned government buildings.According to the agenda, the committee first received a briefing from audit officials before recording oral evidence from representatives of the defence ministry.The panel examined issues relating to “Internal control and quality assurance in execution of MES contracts” based on Chapter II of CAG Report No. 1 of 2026. It also reviewed findings under “Abandonment of buildings constructed costing Rs. 166.16 crore due to substandard construction and delay in fixing of responsibility” contained in Paragraph 3.3 of CAG Report No. 28 of 2025.The audit observations relate to deficiencies in quality assurance, project monitoring and accountability in defence infrastructure projects undertaken through the Military Engineer Services. The meeting forms part of Parliament’s broader scrutiny of defence preparedness, modernisation and financial accountability.It comes shortly after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence held deliberations on the transformation of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).The Standing Committee, chaired by BJP MP Radha Mohan Singh, met on July 8 at Parliament House Annexe to review “Review of Self-reliance and Modernisation of Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) – Old DPSU”.During that meeting, officials from the ministry of defence and various DPSUs briefed members on initiatives aimed at improving self-reliance, modernising production capabilities and strengthening the defence manufacturing ecosystem.Earlier, on June 24, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence also heard oral evidence from senior military officials on the “Role of Indian Army in ensuring defence of the Country”.Chief of defence staff General Raja Subramani and army chief designate lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth were among the senior officers who attended the session.During the discussions, defence officials briefed the committee on efforts to adopt advanced technologies, promote innovation and enhance the operational capabilities of the armed forces. Sources told news agency ANI they also outlined the military’s preparedness to secure India’s borders across varied terrains and explained the operational requirements involved in maintaining readiness.
