Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharam has made it clear that the NDA government is doing whatever it can so as to meet the needs of the army. The minister was speaking at an event when she replied to Punjab chief minister Capt. Amarinder Singh’s remark that the army is low on ammunition and supplies.
The minister said, “We have addressed the issue of low reserves of ammunition. Chiefs have been given enough power to take a call on the need for equipment.” Speaking about budget allocation for defence, Sitharaman first separated allocation for pensions and modernisation and added she is happy that the defence ministry got both. “Both my predecessors and myself reviewed pending projects and took action. I understand a lot more funds are required for modernisation, but everything has been done after consultation,” said Sitharaman.
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Earlier, Vice Chief Lt Gen Sarath Chand had complained that the defence budget is too low to meet the needs of the army. “Allocation of Rs 21,388 crore for modernisation is insufficient even to cater for committed payments of Rs 29,033 crores for 125 ongoing schemes, emergency procurement and other requirements,” he said.
However, the minister refused to comment about the issue while saying that she would speak on it in Parliament at an appropriate time. When quizzed whether the army is prepared for a war, the minister said, “I am glad to say we have addressed the issue and have enough ammunition for 10(I) or ten days of intensive war. The vice chiefs have been given enough power and enough financial limits have also been sanctioned.”
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