Government’s Handling of Disability Cases: A Study
Abstract
Defence Accounts Department (DAD) functions under the administrative control of Ministry of Defence and is headed by Controller General of Defence Accounts. The mandate given to the Department is broadly audit, financial advice, payment and accounting of all charges pertaining to Armed Forces, including bills for supply and services rendered and for constructions and repair works, pay and allowances, pension etc. of Defence Personnel and Civilians, audit of cash and store accounts of all organizations under Ministry of Defence, viz. Army, Navy, Air Force, Indian Coast Guard, Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Ordnance Factories, Director General of Defence Estates (DGDE), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) etc, maintenance of manufacturing accounts and store accounts of Ordnance Factories and manufacturing accounts of Naval Dockyard. In addition to the duties mentioned above, the Integrated Financial Advisers have been appointed with the General Officers Commanding-in-Chief of Commands, Corps Commanders and sundry other echelons of the 3 Services and other organizations, etc.
The DAD has a vast geographical spread with a network of 1110 offices located through the length and breadth of the country to cater to the needs of all elements of the Indian Defence Services i.e Army, Air Force and Navy as also all other organizations under Ministry of Defenceviz Defence Ordnance Factories (41), DRDO Laboratories /Projects (50), Coast Guard, DGQA, DGBR, DGNCC, DG Defence Estates, Canteen Stores Department (CSD) etc. The field offices of the department dealing with the Army has been structured by and large on the pattern of Army Commands/Area HQrs, etc. The location of these Controllers Offices is in close proximity to the Command Headquarters/Area Headquarters in order to enable them to render prompt services to the Units/Formations located in these areas. Under some of the Controllers offices, there are also Area Accounts Offices to render prompt services to various Units/Formations in their vicinity. In addition, there are Local Audit Offices to audit the cash and store accounts of the Units and Formations and one Sr.AO/AO is attached to each Garrison Engineer for Works related tasks. The Pay Accounts Offices (JCOs/ORs) are also under the jurisdiction of the nearest Army Controller which deal with pay and allowances of JCOs/Ors of different Regiments. In all there are 12 Principal Controllers/Controllers looking after the audit, payment and accounting functions of Indian Army and 01 Principal Controller at Pune specifically dealing with the pay and allowances of the Commissioned Officers.
There is a PCDA at New Delhi to deal with the pay and allowances of civilian staff of Service Headquarters and Ministry of Defence including payment of foreign contracts and payment for purchases made by Services Headquarters. There is PCDA (Pensions) at Allahabad (Prayagraj) to deal with sanction/revision and disbursement of pension for Army personnel and Defence Civilians. In addition, 14 PCDAs/CDAs are dedicated for Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, DRDO, CSD, Border Roads, Pension, Pension Disbursement and Provident Fund for Civilian employees. The Ordnance Factory Board has 41 Ordnance Factories under its control and with each Ordnance Factory, an Accounts Office is attached. A total of 09 Controllers of Finance and Accounts are working as Group Controllers with PCA (Fys) at the helm of Accounts and Finance setup in Ordnance Factories. Further, there are 127 PIFA/IFA offices dedicated for rendering financial advice to all the Services and organizations under Ministry of Defence.
As regards training of officers/staff of DAD, a National Academy of Defence Financial Management (NADFM) for Group A officers is located at Pune and 05 Regional Training Centers for staff along with Centre for Training and Development (CENTRAD) Delhi Cantt, Defence Pension Training Institute (DPTI) at Allahabad for pension related training of all stakeholders namely banks, treasury offices, RO/PAO pesonnel etc. and an Officers Training Institute (OTI) at Gurugram for imparting training to Gp B officers of the department.As the Principal Accounting Officer for Ministry of Defence, the CGDA furnishes necessary information for the Appropriation Accounts to the Ministry of Defence. CGDA also prepares the Annual Consolidated Accounts of Defence Services Receipts & Charges and acts as the Principal Accounts Officer for Civil Estimates of the Ministry of Defence. DAD is also responsible for rendering the Annual Accounts for the OFB, Military Farms, Canteen Stores Department and Works Expenditure. In addition, the Annual Audit Certificate for the Defence Services, rendered by the CGDA to the C&AG through Ministry of Defence, is tabled in the Parliament. Of late, Audit of offset claims has also been entrusted to the Department, which is being carried out by Pr.CDA (AF), New Delhi.
DAD aims at providing responsive and professional Financial, Audit and Accounting services. This encompasses timely, efficient and correct payment of Pay and allowances, Pension & gratuities to Armed Forces &Defence Civilian and other payments relating to supplies and services. It ensures proper accounting of all such expenditure from the Defence Budget. As the Principal Accounting and Finance entity for the Defence Services, DAD is committed to providing best value for money by being a trusted Financial Services Partner. The Defence Accounts Department, functions broadly under seven divisions i.e. Admin., Accounts, Audit, Pension, IFA, HRD & IT&S wing.