New Delhi, Dec 28 (IANS) With an audit revealing that defence personnel were supplied food items whose use-before dates had expired, the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) Wednesday slammed the defence ministry for the ‘systemic deficiencies’.
‘The committee reject outrightly the contention of the ministry that the life of rations was extended based on scientific analysis and meeting the requirements of the stipulated quality parameters,’ a report presented to parliament said.
In its report on ‘Supply Chain Management of Rations in the Indian Army’, the PAC led by Bharatiya Janata Party leader M.M. Joshi, recommended that the defence ministry keep the extension of estimated storage life (ESL) of food items ‘to the barest minimum time’ after rigorous tests.
‘In no case, the consumption of such items be allowed beyond the extended life of three months,’ the report presented to parliament said.
The PAC study on the supply chain management was done in the wake of a Comptroller and Auditor General report presented to parliament earlier this year.
