Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) today decided to take up the controversial Rs 3,727 crore VVIP helicopter deal in which the CAG has slammed the Defence Ministry and IAF for deviating from rules.
In its meeting here, the Murli Manohar Joshi-led PAC also decided to take up the CAG's reports on the Deemed Exports Drawback Scheme and the Protection and Maintenance of Monuments.
In its recent report, the Comptroller and Auditor General had slammed the Defence Ministry and Air Force for "several instances" of deviation from rules in the procurement of VVIP choppers from AgustaWestland.
The government auditor had also questioned the decision of the then IAF chief to hold overseas trials for the two contenders for the deal.
CAG had also noted that the benchmark cost of Rs 4,871.5 crore for the 12 VVIP choppers was "unreasonably high" as compared to the Rs 3,966 crore quoted by AgustaWestland.
But with the Parliamentary panel already scrutinising the government auditor's reports on Commonwealth Games, KG Basin, Civil Aviation and Farm Loan Waiver, it may not take up the new issues immediately.
The PAC's controversial 2011 draft report on the 2G scam, which had strongly indicted former Telecom Minister A Raja and come down heavily on the PMO and the Cabinet Secretariat for not taking "corrective action", is on the list of the panel's 'unfinished agenda' and has been carried forward this year as well.
