Question : PURCHASE OF STORES

(a) whether the Garrison Engineer (Air Force) Trivandrum placed 22 supply orders worth Rs. 75.44 lakh without establishing the requirement against which the GE received the stores valuing Rs. 81.32 lakh between February and August, 1996;

(b) whether the Garrison Engineer could utilise stores valuing Rs. 3.70 lakh only in a span of two years and stores worth Rs. 12.42 lakh only in a span of two years and stores worth Rs. 12.42 lakh had to be transferred to other formations and stores worth Rs. 65.20 lakh had been lying in the stock as on September 1998;

(c) whether the matter for purchase of stores without requirement has been investigated;

(d) if so, the outcome thereof;

(e) the action taken thereon;

(f) whether crores of rupees have been spent on avoidable expenditure by purchasing the stores at higher than the market rates from Kendriya Bhandar, NCCF and Super Bazar despite the fact of their rates having been found higher by the CAG and commenting adversely on the Government instructions to purchase items from them only;

(g) if so, whether his Ministry has taken up the matter with the concerned in this regard;

(h) if so, the details thereof;

(i) if not, the reasons for not taking up the matter with other Ministries in this regard; and

(j) the steps taken to ensure purchases at competitive rates only?

MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES)

(a) The Garrison Engineer (Air Force) Trivandrum had placed 22 supply orders. Stores valued Rs. 81.32 lakh had been received.

(b) 
(i)	The Garrison Engineer (Air Force) could utilise stores valuing Rs. 3,69,953.82	in a span of two years.
(ii)	The stores were consumed on the day to day maintenance requirement.
(iii)	Stores worth Rs. 12,42,159.18 have been transferred to other formations.
(iv)	Stores worth Rs. 65.20 lakh have been lying in the stock since September, 1998.