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NEW DELHI: At a time when the military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh is showing no signs of abating, and China-Pakistan collusion is rapidly spreading from the land borders to the high seas, the Indian Armed Forces have received around 63,000 Received Rs. To modernize less than what he had asked for in the 2022-2023 budget.
The Army got only Rs 32,115 crore when it had estimated the requirement of Rs 46,844 crore under capital outlay. IAF got Rs 56,852 crore instead of Rs 85,323 crore, while Navy got Rs 47,591 crore instead of Rs 67,623 crore.
A similar shortfall was also reported under revenue outlay for salaries and day-to-day operating costs. Overall, Rs 3.85 lakh crore was allocated for the defense services against the estimate of Rs 4.87 lakh crore.
Noting the “remarkably high” gap between estimates and allocations in capital outlay, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense on Wednesday said such a situation “is not conducive to the country’s defense preparedness” when both with China. There are heightened tensions” and Pakistan.
The committee, in its report tabled in Parliament, said the Ministry of Defense (MoD) should ask the Finance Ministry “not to cut the estimated amount as it leads to re-evaluation of plans/activities, which may compromise operational preparedness”. .
The aim should be to incorporate “capital-intensive modern machines, which are imperative to tilt the outcome of the war in our favor and enhance the deterrence of our country”, it said.
In fact, the estimated amount from 2016-2017 has not been allocated to any of the three services. Referring to the sharp decline, the committee said the finance ministry should “not make any cuts while allocating the budget under capital items” for the armed forces in the coming years.
The finance ministry should also take steps to increase the allocation in the revised estimates as well as in supplementary grant phases in the fiscal year 2022-2023.
In turn, the MoD should take steps for “timely expenditure of allocated funds in the first two quarters itself” to ensure that the need for additional funds is assessed in a timely manner and the approval of the Finance Ministry is obtained at the supplementary grant level. it occurs.
The committee also recommended that the formation of a ‘Non-lapsable Defense Modernization Fund – Defense Renewal Fund’ should be expedited for procurement of critical military assets at critical times.
The committee said, “Since the draft cabinet note for the constitution of such a fund is under consideration, the committee urges that the same be approved at the earliest so that its creation can be completed at the earliest.” ”
It also recommended the MoD to create separate heads for “committed liabilities”, which are payments or installments for deals done earlier, and “new schemes” in capital outlay. The bulk of the capital allocation often goes towards “committed liabilities”, leaving very little for the purchase of new weapons.
Military modernization involves the acquisition of new state-of-the-art platforms, technologies and weapon systems to upgrade and enhance combat capabilities, “an ongoing process” based on threat perception, operational requirements and technological changes to maintain the armed forces. Is. A state of readiness to meet the full spectrum of security challenges.
The committee has recommended that enhanced and adequate budgetary allocation should be made under capital head for modernization so that the procurement and upgradation processes can be completed without any hindrance due to paucity of funds.