I.T. // Mission Excel IT

The Defence Accounts Department has launched an ambitious automation project 'MissionEXCEL IT'. The aim of Mission Excel IT, which was started in December 2002, is total online integrated automation of all functions of the Department including providing network connectivity to all its offices. As a first step, it was decided to undertake a comprehensive study of all functional areas of the Department. For this purpose in-house Study Groups (21 Nos) were formed which were mandated to identify areas for automation, databases to be created and to suggest areas for BPR (Business Process Re-engineering). A seperate group on Information Technology was also formed to give recommendations on software technologies to be used. The software technologies that are proposed to be used in the automation projects under Mission Excel IT are:

• Operating System: Red Hat Linux Advanced and Enterprise for Servers and MS Windows for desktops.
• Application Development: on J2EE(Java 2 Enterprise Edition), with Jboss as Application Server and Tomcat as Web Container.
• RDBMS: Red Hat Database and MySQL

Even though, the computerization in the Defence Accounts Department has been achieved through in-house efforts, . considering the magnitude of MissionExcel IT, it has been decided to outsource the development of software.

Under Mission Excel IT, eleven Software Development Projects have been identified. These projects are a combination of Main System (core functional area of an office) and a Plug-in system (System or Modules covering a support function which will be plugged into the main system). It will be the responsibility of software developers to develop the interfaces between main systems and Plug-in Systems, so as to achieve seamless integration.

For each of the eleven Software Development Projects a Project Coordination Team has been set up (PCT) – comprising of a project manager (a Senior IDAS officer), domain experts and IT experts. The PCTs would be the point of contact for the software developer. The PCTs would be closely associated with each and every stage of development and implementation of the eleven software projects.

The PCTs would prepare an exhaustive URS (User Requirement Specifications) which would form part of the Tender Documents for RFP.
A roadmap of the entire project has been conceived which comprises activities such as URS writing, network decisions, budget estimation of the project, selection of vendor, software development, testing, implementation and training of system administrator and users. The Project End Date of Mission EXCEL IT is March 2007.

2. Software Development Projects under MISSION EXCEL IT

2.1 Pension Project:
The Pension Project constitutes two main systems – the Pension Sanction system and the Pension Disbursement System.

2.1.1 Pension sanction is the responsibility of Pr Controller of Defence Accounts (Pension) Allahabad, Controller of Defence Accounts (Navy) Mumbai and Controller of Defence Accounts (Air Force) Dehradun. These offices sanction pension in r/o defence civilians, commissioned officers and jawans of armed forces. They also monitor and audit payment of pension by the different Pension Disbursing Agencies.

2.1.2 Pension Disbursement is the responsibility of Controller of Defence Accounts (PD), Meerut and Controller of Defence Accounts, Chennai. These two offices discharge the pension disbursement responsibility through their sub-offices the Defence Pension Disbursement Offices (DPDOs). The number of DPDOs are 61 in number and these are spread all across the country from Jammu to Kerala. There are about 20 Lakhs Defence pensioners, out of which about 6.1 lakhs pensioners are drawing pension through the 61 DPDOs. Average number of pensioners per DPDO is appx. 10,000. DPDO Amritsar is the biggest (20912 pensioners) and Leh is the smallest (2632 pensioners).

Development Center of this Project is Allahabad/Meerut. Pension Sanction System has to be implemented in 3 CsDA office mentioned above. Pension Disbursement System is to be implemented in 2 CsDA offices and also in 61 DPDOs.

2.2 CDA(O) [Controller of Defence Accounts (Officers)] Project:
The CDA(O) Project comprise of the CDA (O) main system and the T-Armed Forces Plugin system [Traveling/ Daily Allowances of armed forces].

2.2.1 Controller of Defence Accounts (Officers), Pune is responsible for maintenance and disbursement of pay and allowances and fund accounts of over 40,000 officers of the Indian army. This office is also responsible for adjustment of Traveling Allowance claims, misc. bills and maintenance of fund accounts of the army officers. The CDA (O) System will be implemented in the office of Pune in all its sections.

2.2.2 T-Armed Forces System: This plugin system would be applicable to three offices viz CDA(O) Pune, CDA(AF) Dehradun and CDA(Navy) Mumbai who are responsible for TA/DA claims (advance and final bills) of all officers and jawans of Armed Forces.

Development Center of this Project is Pune. CDA(O) System has to be implemented in CDA(O) Pune and T-Armed forces System has to be implemented in 3 CsDA office mentioned above

2.3 IFA (Integrated Financial Advisor)/ ATC (Audit Through Computers) Project: This Project comprised two main Systems viz. the IFA System and the ATC System.

2.3.1 The IFA System should cover the functionalities of the Integrated Financial Advisor take care of the role of DAD before sanction of defence expenditure. The IFA accords financial concurrence to defence expenditure proposals initiated by various authorities of the armed forces under their delegated financial powers. In fulfilling his functions the IFA will need to refer to various inputs related to consumption trends, past purchase price etc.
The office of IFA has been established at the all the service HQ and the lower formations of the armed forces.

The IFA system will need to be implemented across the different organizations of the armed forces i.e the Army, Navy and Airforce. In addition it will also have to be implemented both at the Headquarters and at the lower formations.

2.3.2 The ATC System should cover the functionalities of the sub-offices of the Department – the Local Audit Office (LAO). The audit role of the LAO begins after defence expenditure has been incurred, he ensures proper accounting and utilization of defence resources. The LAO offices are collocated with the lower units and formations of the armed forces and they report their findings to their controller offices. The ATC System will have to be implemented in all the LAO offices and its MIS module will have to be implemented in the respective controller offices.

Development Center for this project is Delhi. The implementation of the Project is in a large number of offices which would also be connected on the WAN.

2.4 Regional CDA Project: This Project comprise of Regional CDA System and Accounts Section Plugin System.

2.4.1 Regional Controller System consists of Store section, Miscellaneous section and Engineering section of a Controllers office and its various sub offices like Areas Accounts Office, Assistant Accounts Officer ( Garrison Engineer), Assistant Accounts Officer BSO etc. The System also covers same work areas in CDA(Navy), CDA (AF), PCDA (New Delhi) and CDA( R & D). This system will be installed in all Regional CsDA, CDA(Navy), two CDA(AF), PCDA, New Delhi and three CDA(R&D) offices and their sub-offices

2.4.2 Accounts System: One of the most important duties of the Defence Accounts Department is to account for each and every item of expenditure and receipt pertaining to Defence services (as reflected in Defence Service Estimate) and Ministry of Defence (Civil Estimate). CGDA, as the head of the Defence Accounts Departement is the Principal Accounts Officer of the Ministry of Defence. The major items of work being handled in the Accounts section are Preparation of consolidated Defence Receipt & Charges Report, Budgetary Control over Expenditure under locally Controlled Heads, Defence Proforma Account and Transactions relating to Defence i.e. payments by Banks/Treasuries and remittances into Banks/Treasuries, Adjustment of Debit and credit Scrolls, Reconcilation between cheques issued and received back, Defence Exchange Account & its settlement, Maintenance of Debt Head Registers (Advances such as House Building and Car), Preparation of Annual Review of Balances etc. This system will be a plugin system to be installed in every office.
Development site of this Project is Delhi.

2.5 PCDA(ND) [Principal Controller of Defence Accounts(New Delhi) ] Project: This Project should cover the unique functions of this office such as Foreign Payment Section, POL (Petrol, Oil & Lubricant) section, APO (Army Purchase Organisation) section and UN cell section. The non unique functions of this office will be covered by the Regional Controller Project. Development site of this project is Delhi.

2.6 CDA(N) [Controller of Defence of Accoutns (Navy)] Project: This Project would cover the unique functionalities of the Office of Controller of Defence Accounts (Navy), Mumbai. The CDA (N) is responsible for audit of accounts of pay and allowances of the naval personnel – both entitlements and payment – maintained by the Indian Navy (by the Naval Pay Office - NPO). This function is performed at Mumbai. In discharging this function the CDA (N) will access the computerized system and data of the NPO. The other unique function of CDA (N) is the costing activity of the Dockyards. The non unique functions of this office will be covered by the Regional Controller Project. This system will need to be implemented in Mumbai and Vishkapatnam.
The development center for this Project is Mumbai.

2.7 CDA (AF) [Controller of Defence Accounts (Air Force)]: This Project would cover the unique functionality of the Office of Controller of Defence Accounts (Air Force), Delhi. The CDA (AF), Delhi is responsible for audit of accounts of pay and allowances of the air force personnel – both entitlements and payment – maintained by the Indian Air Force (by the Air Force Central Accounting Office - AFCAO). This function is performed at Delhi only. In discharging this function the CDA (AF), Delhi will access the computerized system and data of the AFCAO. The non unique functions of this office will be covered by the Regional Controller Project.
The development center for this Project is Delhi.

2.8 CDA(BR) [Controller of Defence Accounts(Border Roads)] Project : This project comprise of CDA(BR) System and Pay Accounts Office(GREF) system.

2.8.1 CDA(BR) system comprises of all functions of main office of CDA(BR), New Delhi, JCDA(BR), Chandigarh and JCDA(BR) Guwahati. It also comprises of all functions of Account Offices of Projects and Task Forces. Accounts Offices at the Task Forces level are the most important offices on the ground. These offices are located in the remotest of the parts of India.

2.8.2 PAO(GREF), Pune system consists of Pay and Allowances of all General Reserve Engineering Force(GREF) personnel being maintained at Pune.

Development site of this Project is New Delhi and Pune

2.9 ORs [Other Ranks] Project: This Project comprise of Other Ranks System to be implemented in 43 Pay Accounting Offices(PAOs) at various locations. Main functions of PAO is maintaining Pay and Allowances of Army Jawans, Closing of accounts and issue of Quarterly Statements of Accounts, Imprest accounting and Fund accounts maintenance.

Development site of this project is New Delhi.

2.10 FIS/MOD (Financial Information System/ Ministry of Defence) Project: The software application developed under this Project would be a tool both for the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Accounts Department for monitoring the defence budget. The backbone of this project would be databases and MIS reports generated therefrom. The FIS System will need to build three main databases pertaining to budget allocation, defence expenditure and committed liabilities. The FIS system would be universal plug-in system that will be implemented in all the offices of the Department. The System will have an interface with practically every other system developed under Mission EXCEL IT and will be importing/ exporting data from/ to every other system. The databases will be updated in all the offices of the Department.

The development centre of this project is Delhi.

2.11 Pay Project: This project comprises of CGDA system, Fund(Main) System, DAD/PIS(Defence Accounts Department/Personnel Information System) System and Expanded Pay System.

2.11.1 CGDA System will cover all functions of Controller General of Defence Accounts(CGDA), New Delhi.

2.11.2 Fund(Main) System will cover fund maintaining activities of Defence civilians being done in JCDA(Funds), Meerut, CDA(Navy) Mumbai, PCDA, New Delhi, CDA(R&D) New Delhi and PCOA(Factories), Kolkata. Fund(Main) System will be implemented in all these offices.

2.11.3 DAD/PIS System will cover administration functions of all DAD offices and maintenance of Personnel Information of all its employees. This system will be implemented in all the offices.

2.11.4 Expanded Pay System covers Pay and Allowances, fund maintenance and Travelling Allowance/Daily Allowance activities in respect of DAD employees, defence industrial and non industrial employees. This system will also be implemented in all the offices.

The development centre of this project is Delhi.