New Delhi, May 31

In an unprecedented move, the Ministry of Defence has appointed two retired officers as “independent external monitors” to screen the functioning of the Military Engineering Services (MES) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The orders were issued on Monday to appoint Sudhir Bhargava, a retired IAS officer, and Rajiv Jain, a retired IPS officer, on the two-member panel for three years. Bhargava is a former Chief Information Commissioner, while Jain was Director, Intelligence Bureau.

The mandate will include works and procurement cases of the MES and BRO. Both organisations have budget worth thousands of crore rupees. Their role and duties will be as per the revised standard operating procedures to be issued by Central Vigilance Commission (CVC). — TNS