January 14, 2002
'33'
CONFERENCE OF PRINCIPAL CONTROLLERS/ CONTROLLERS OF DEFENCE ACCOUNTS
A three-day Conference of the Principal Controllers and Controllers of Defence Accounts will begin tomorrow at New Delhi. The Conference is being inaugurated by the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes. During the three-day Conference the senior officers of the Department will discuss a number of key-issues concerning the Department such as fostering administrative leadership and management skills, re-appraising internal audit functions, upgrading the Financial Information System so as to make it on-line providing the real time information, and improving its services to the jawans and Office Automation.
The Defence Accounts Department is a pioneer in many fields. It was the first Department to introduce Hollerith Machine (pre-cursor to computers) in 1932. It set up the first computer (IBM 1401) in the Department in 1969 when computers were a rarity. Today it has 56 large and small Computer Centres all over the country. It also relies on a wide area network established through 22 V-SATs (satellites). A number of its officers have their own Web Sites which are effectively utilised for providing effective service to the customers.
The Department also pioneered the introduction of Cost Accounting System for the first time in India through Ordnance Factories. It also has the distinction of being the first to introduce Total Quality Management as a conscious policy. Nine offices of the Department have reached the milestone of obtaining ISO Certification. A number of other offices of the Department are also engaged in upgrading their systems and procedures with a view to achieving similar distinction.
The Defence Accounts Department is one of the oldest Departments of the Government of India tracing its origin from 1747. The first office of the Department named as Military Pay Master was established at Fort St. George, Chennai. The Department is the paying authority of all charges pertaining to the Armed Forces and allied establishments like Ordnance Factories, DRDO, Border Roads and Coast Guard. It is also entrusted with the responsibility of Internal Audit, pension sanctioning and disbursement, accounting and compilation of all Defence Receipts and Charges and rendering financial advice to them.