BY : Express India



The Indian Air Force overpaid Rs 4.34 crore for overhauling of aero engines during 2000-2001. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India in his report 5 of 2007 has stated that in the contract several parts were replaced by the contracting firm without prior approval of the IAF with IAF paying for the same.

Also, the report concludes that IAF paid for the replacements which were not even warranted.

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According to the report, a Base Repair Depot concluded a contract for overhual of 80 aero engines with a foreign firm in 2000. In terms of clause 4.3 of the contract, the firm was required to inform the Air Force before the replacement of any unservicable components with new ones during the overhaul. The firm, without adhering to the terms, replaced the components in 58 engines for which it claimed payment of US $ 3,67,766 (Rs 1.70 crore) from IAF in 2001. The firm in support of its claim stated that accessories replaced were found to be irreparable because of the previous overhauls of these engines in India had violated technological norms.

Another 40 aero engines were sent abroad for overhaul through an addendum of January 2002 to the aforesaid contract. Certain major items in case of four of the engines, though not due for replacement, were placed by the firm during the overhaul. This was on account of the fact that actual life of these items was not endorsed by the BRD ‘Y’ in the respective engine logbooks. The foreign firm claimed an extra amount of US $ 270795 (Rs 1.32 crore) on account of these replacements.

The above cases revealed inadequacies in overhauls conducted by BRD ‘Y’, deficencies in enforcing contractual conditions and inadequate record maintenance, which caused additional expenditure of Rs 3.02 crore.