To create a ‘lean and mean force’ the Army is expected to cut off at least 1.5 lakhs jobs over the next 5 years.
An 11 member panel is carrying out its review and the preliminary report will be submitted to Army Chief General Bipin Rawat. The final report will be submitted by November.
Different sections of the Indian Army is to be revamped, including directorates at the Army Headquarters, logistic units, repair facilities and communication establishments.
‘Merging of some verticals and rationalising roles are likely to result in cutting 50,000 troops over the next two years. A reduction of 100,000 more personnel may be possible by 2022-23. But all this is in the study phase right now,’ a military official said.
The changes are expected to save around Rs. 7000 crores which will be generated to by modern weapons.
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Due to the fund crunch, it was reported that the Army could only purchase only 250,000 modern assault rifles despite its total requirement of 800,000 rifles.
“Plans to buy new equipment from overseas, however, have been held back by bureaucratic delays and the military’s desire to balance the needs of its troops against efforts to build equipment domestically under Modi’s ‘Make in India’ program, a key plank in his drive to boost local manufacturing,”a media report had said.
The Union Budget presented by the Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had “dashed the hopes” of the Army according to Army Vice Chief Lt General Sarath Chand.
He had also said that the marginal increase was barely enough to meet inflation as 68% of the force’s equipment falls in the “vintage category”.
In the oral deposition to the Parliamentary panel, the Vice Chief had said the allocation of Rs 21,338 crore for modernisation is way below the committed payments of Rs 29,033.
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