About AIBSCA

The Barrack Service Cadre is as old as Military Engineer Services though it remained under the Control of respective Station Commanders in the initial years during pre-independence era.The Barrack Organisation was originally introduced in 1946 to build up a service of the Barrack Department on the British Army Pattern, eventually to place it under the Army Service Corps as in United Kingdom. It was also intended to transfer furniture form Military engineer Services to Army Supply Corps. These proposals did not materialize due to change of events that have taken place after independence. Late in 1947 it was decided to amalgamate 'Store duties' with those of Barrack and Furniture to create a separate cadre by itself within the MES. Special Army Order 5/S/48 was issued setting up the Barrack Service by the MES to be ultimately transferred to the OC Station for Revenue Duties. Thus the cadre was responsible to two authorities, one to the MES for furniture and stores and the other to the Station Commander for revenue duties such as handing/taking over of buildings, submission of occupation/vacation returns, issue Licence Fee Bills, recovery of rent & allied charges from paying consumers in occupation of defence land/buildings etc.

The position was reviewed during 1949 and a Memorandum of Procedure, Organisation and Duties of Barrack Services was issued in July 1949. Accordingly, Barrack Services was made responsible for Revenue duties and responsibility of billing was transferred from Station Commander to the BO function independently under Commander Works Engineers. Thus BO was no longer under the administrative control of GE although GE retained certain responsibilities to works, issue of stores required for maintenance of furniture, repairs to meters, issue of fans and refrigerators.

During 1951, a conference of all Senior Barrack Officers along with MES Engineer Officers was convened at CME Kirkee, Pune with Chief Engineer Southern Command in the chair. This conference after deliberations has recommended that the Barrack Stores should take over the store duties in addition to Furniture & Revenue duties and work as staff officer to the GEs as they are inter-dependent. Thus the full-fledged 'Barrack & Stores Cadre' was formed with its comprehensive role and responsibility spell out vide Govt of India, Min of Defence letter No.29469/III/E2A/2134/D(Eng) dt 14 May 1951 to be effected from 01 May 1951 popularly referred as 'Barrack Service Memorandum'. Thus the Barrack Officer and Senior Barrack Officer were re-designated as Barrack Store Officer and Senior Barrack Store Officer and brought under the administrative control of GEs & CWEs respectively.

Barrack & Store Branch provides Barrack services in addition to procuring, accounting, stocking/preserving and issuing of stores, both for works and maintenance. Barrack services include handing/taking over of buildings to/from units & officers/staff and providing & maintaining technical & married accn furniture. These services also include regular billing for rent, water and electricity consumed by service personnel, civilian officers/staff & private parties and charging for barrack damages whenever occur.

'All India (MES) Barrack and Stores Cadre Association' was formed at Pithoragarh in 1977 with the aim to organize the civilian B/S Cadre Staff to inculcate the sense of unity, brotherhood and co-operation among the members and to find out ways & means for common welfare and safe guard the legitimate aspiration of our members. The association is represented by both the officers and the subordinates alike and by their concerted efforts; the association has made its respectable place in the department and get recognition of 'Govt of India' as early as 1980. Despite with falling numbers in strength, the association continues to grow in its activities aiming to uphold the dignity, role and responsibility of Military Engineer Services.