New Delhi, Sept. 27:
The Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, headed by
BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi will begin consideration of the Comptroller and
Auditor General’s (CAG) report on the implementation of public-private
partnership in the Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) next week.
The Civil Aviation Ministry will appear before the
panel with its defence next Thursday.
Sources in the panel said the CAG would also make a
presentation in the meeting, as the Government and the private developer have
questioned the auditor’s findings. The panel is likely to probe the issue in
detail, as there are differences between the CAG and the Government. The
Congress, it is learnt, is in two minds on the issue.
A section in the party believes that there is “merit”
in the CAG report and a CBI probe would clear the apprehensions. Though the
party was ready, no Opposition party, except the CPI(M), demanded a probe into
the issue.
The Rajya Sabha’s committee on subordinate legislation
is already studying the Airports Authority of India (Major Airports)
Development Fees Rules, 2011, which empowered DIAL’s operator to levy the
development fee from passengers.
The CAG had said in its report that the Civil Aviation
Ministry violated the bid conditions for the benefit of GMR-led DIAL of over Rs
3,415 crore. The CAG had recommended fixing responsibility on the matter.
The report said that DIAL could earn Rs 1,63,557 crore
over a 60-year period from the land given to it on a lease of Rs 100 annually.
It also criticised the Government’s decision to allow
DIAL’s operator to levy a development fee. The CAG said it vitiated the
sanctity of the bidding process and led to undue benefit of Rs 3,415.35 crore
to the private firm.
“It was noticed that the Ministry of Civil Aviation
and Airports Authority of India, on some occasions, violated the provisions of
the transaction documents in the interest of the concessionaire,” the report
said.
“In fact, only 19 per cent of the project cost came
from equity, approximately 42 per cent came from debt. The remaining project
costs were met from security deposits and development fees,” the report added.
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