PRESS RELEASE
LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT
PARLIAMENT HOUSE
NEW DELHI
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE
(2016-17)
PRESS RELEASE
(11 April, 2017)
Prof. K.V. Thomas, MP (Lok Sabha) was nominated as Chairman, Public
Accounts Committee in August 2014 and after three successive terms (2014-15),
(2015-16) and (2016-17) is demitting Office on 30 April, 2017.
The Committee under his Chairmanship has presented 73 Reports (45
Original and 28 Action Taken) on important subjects viz. Indigenous Construction
of Indian Naval Warships, Global Estate Management by Ministry of External
Affairs, Disaster Preparedness in India, Ultra Mega Power Projects under Special
Purpose
Vehicles
(UMPP),
JNNURM,
Hydrocarbon
Production
Sharing
Contracts, Management of Satellite Capacity for DTH Service and Employees’
State Insurance Corporation. A Report on All India Conference of Chairpersons
of Public Accounts Committees of Parliament and State/UT Legislatures (8-9
September, 2015, New Delhi) was also presented to Hon'ble Speaker, Lok
Sabha.
The Committee in last three years held a total of 157 sittings on various
subjects selected for examination and interacted with number of organizations
and institutions and also visited several places to interact with local authorities.
From time to time, the Committee constituted Sub-Committees for in-depth
examination of the subjects like Defence, Railways, Direct and Indirect Taxes,
Civil and Non-compliance of timely submission of Action Taken Notes, PPP
Projects, Hydrocarbon Production Sharing Contracts, etc. and important SubGroups on All India Conference of Chairpersons of Public Accounts Committees
of Parliament and State/UT Legislatures and Global Tax Transparency Summit.
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The Committee had extensive deliberations on Bad Debts/Uncollectible
Accounts Burden/ Wilful Default by Borrowers on Public Institutions, Hydrocarbon
Production Sharing Contracts, XIX Commonwealth Games, 2010, Review of
Monetary Policy and Recent Developments in the Telecom Sector including
Allocation of 2G and 3G spectrum.
The PAC of Parliament hosted a two day Conference of Chairpersons of
PACs of all State Legislatures in September 2015.
Ministries called for Oral Evidence
The Committee took evidence of representatives of various ministries on
the subjects selected for examination including: Review of Monetary Policy - RBI and Ministry of Finance.
 Public Debt Management - RBI and Ministry of Finance
(Department of Economic Affairs)
 XIX Commonwealth Games 2010- Ministry of Youth Affairs and
Sports, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting, Ministry of Urban Development, Department of
Telecommunications ,CBI Director and Commissioner of Police,
Delhi
 Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Reliance Industries Ltd and
ONGC on Hydrocarbon Production Sharing Contracts.
 Sharing of Revenue by Private Telecom Services Providers Evidences of Department of Telecommunications, Department of
Expenditure, Department of Revenue,TRAI, Airtel,Reliance, Aircel,
Tata teleservices, Idea, Vodafone.
 Bad debts in Public Institutions - RBI and Chairpersons of State
Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank , Bank of
India were called during 2015-16.
Study Visits

In order to get first hand knowledge of issues of utmost importance and to
gauge ground realities, the Committee during the last three years made
several study visits to various places in the country viz. Bengaluru, Kochi,
Lakshadweep, Goa, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Srinagar,
Bhubaneshwar, Siliguri, Kolkata, Jaipur and Mumbai. In addition to this,
the Committee undertook on the spot visits to Mumbai International Airport
Limited, CST Railway Station, Mumbai, Satyajit Ray Film and Television
Institute, Kolkata, Cochin Shipyard, New Delhi/Old Delhi Railway Station
and Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi.
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During the visit to IGI Airport on March 7, 2017, the Committee found that
the operators have not allocated space inside the terminal buildings at
Terminal-1 and 3 scientifically ,commercial establishments are obtruding
into the areas meant for passenger movement, safety of passengers has
been compromised while allotting spaces inside the terminal premises as
retail shops have cropped up at every nook and corner and some of them
protruding sharply into the walking spaces. Members of the Committee felt
that mishap or disaster could be foreseen given the present state of
narrow lanes for movement of passengers. The Committee were told that
license holders are using the licensed land and space areas for large
number of other offices in separate wings. Air Passengers Association of
India raised grievances regarding the poor state of facilities at the IGI
Airport which include restriction in safe movement of passengers, dirty
lounges and restrooms during peak hours, low quality food and illmanaged food courts, inadequate seating facility at the T-1 and T-3
lounges, inconvenient baggage handling counters, lack of transport
connectivity between T-I and T-3, poor cart facilities, uneven terrain
outside Terminal and long queues both outside the Terminals and inside
at the security check points etc. Further, the Committee were told that,
though, feedback forms are available, no action is taken on these
suggestions/complaints.
During their visit to CST, Mumbai, the Committee were told about the fund
shortage, encroachment on railway land and consequent difficulties in
prevention of accidents and lack of co-operation by BMC for the foot overbridges.
During their visit to Cochin Shipyard, the Committee were told that the
Government of India is not placing its orders for ship building.
At old Delhi/New Delhi Railway Stations, the issues of lack of passenger
amenities, hygeine and punctuality were raised
Significant highlights

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On the invitation of Chairperson, PAC Maharashtra Legislative Assembly,
the Committee (2015-16) visited Mumbai in January, 2016. Taking lessons
from the PAC of Parliament, the PAC of Maharashtra Assembly also
constituted two Sub-Committees.
Two day All India Conference of Chairpersons of Public Accounts
Committees of Parliament and State/UT Legislatures (8-9 September,
2015, New Delhi) hosted and Report of the same presented to the Hon'ble
Speaker, Lok Sabha.
RBI Governor was called thrice before the Committee for the subjects Bad
Debt in Public Institutions, Public Debt Management and Review of
Monetary Policy since 2014-15.
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Hon'ble Chairperson, PAC attended Global Tax Transperancy Summit
held in London in December 2016 and subsequently constituted a SubGroup to consider points arising from the same.
Hon'ble Chairperson also attended PAC 5th Westminster Conference in
Malta during June 2015.
Hon'ble Chairperson attended Australasian Council of Public Accounts
Committees 13th Biennial Conference 2015 in Adelaide, South Australia
during 15-18 April, 2015.
C&AG of India briefed the Committee on PPP Projects and subsequently
a Sub-Committee was constituted to look into these projects.
A Sub-Committee was constituted to look-into Follow-up Audit by C&AG
on Hydrocarbon Production Sharing Contracts and the issue of migration
of gas from the contiguous blocks of ONGC to RIL.
Hon'ble
Chairperson
met
delegation
from
Bhutan
National
Assembly/Council led by Chairperson of the Bhutanese PAC on 17 May,
2016 and Afghan Delegation on 15 February, 2017.

The Committee will present the report on XIX Commonwealth Games
2010 to Parliament on 12 April, 2017.

Hon’ble Chairperson, PAC will attend the Australasian Council of
Public Accounts Committees Conference in Brisbane from 20-21
April, 2017.
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