New Delhi: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has noted that the fund allocation ‘is not supportive to the inevitable needs of the Army.’
The 41st report which was tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday also observed that there are “huge deficiencies and obsolescence of weapons, stores and ammunition existing in Indian Army”.
The committee headed by BJP MP Maj Gen (retd) B C Khanduri, observed that the “allocation of Rs 21,338 crore for modernisation is insufficient even to cater to committed payments to the extent of Rs 29,033 crore, earmarked for 125 ongoing schemes, emergency procurement of armaments and weaponry for 10 days of intense war {10 (I)} and other Director General Ordnance Factories requirements”.
The committee is scathing on the 4.5 per cent increase in the revenue component of the Army’s budget, as it will all go towards the hike in pay due to implementation of the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. Out of a projection of Rs 40,073 crore for operations and maintenance, the committee notes that only an allocation of Rs 30,791 crore has been made. “The budget for operations and maintenance is a critical component for ensuring operational preparedness at any given point of time,” the committee said.
Interestingly, the Indian Army Chief on Wednesday said that the Chinese have ‘arrived well before the intended time’, as they made sure that will their rising economy, their military might also rose.
“They (China) ensured that while their economy was developing the military power must rise simultaneously and that is why they are strong today in the international world order challenging the might of the United States of America, which until now was the sole security provider,” The Indian Army chief pointed out.
In its submission to the committee, the Army had stated that “the budget for modernisation has to be anything between 22 to 25 per cent of the overall budget, lest the Army is found to be wanting” but it was “a mere 14 per cent of the allocation, which is grossly inadequate”.
