The office of the Joint Controller of Defence Accounts (JCDA) (R and D), which comes under the Defence Accounts Department (DAD), Ministry of Defence, celebrated its Annual Day on October 1.

The DAD with the Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) as its head is one of the oldest departments under the Government of India, the origin of which can be traced to the year 1747 when Articles of War empowered the British Government to appoint Military Pay Master.

The department is mandated broadly to undertake audit, accounting, payment and financial advice functions pertaining to all the 'organisations coming under the Ministry of Defence, including Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Ordinance Factory and various inter-service organisations.

The Office of JCDA (R&D) located at OT Road, Station Square, Baleswar, functions under the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (PCDA (R and D)], New Delhi and extends audit coverage to DRDO labs/establishments like PXE, ITR and EMU at Chandipur, JCB-CAT and CCE (R and D), Kolkata and O and M Radars, Bhubaneswar.

All the DAD officers and staff at the station attended the function organised at Range Officers' Mess (ROMI) with families.

Speaking at the functions, Officer In Charge Dr PK Jena, congratulated all the staffers and officers and felicitated DAD veterans and pensioners on the occasion.

Awards were distributed to the winners of various art and painting competitions. In a cultural programme, members of the staff and kids performed songs and dance, enthralling the audience.