Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the Armed Forces were “reasonably and sufficiently equipped” to defend the “sovereignty of the country,” amid concerns raised by parliamentarians regarding a CAG report that the Army had critical shortage of ammunition.
Mr. Jaitley's response came after Opposition members raised the issue of defence preparedness in the wake of a CAG report tabled in the Parliament recently and called the previous Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar a “non-performer.”
The CAG stated that the army faces a shortfall of 40% ammunition and only 61 out of 152 types of ammunition were available. The Army is supposed to hold stocks of ammunition for 40 days of an intense war.
Mr. Jaitley clarified that the CAG report has reference to the shortage of ammunition in relation to a point of time.
“A particular report (of CAG) was given in 2013 and, as a follow-up of that, another report has been submitted recently. It will probably be taken up before the Public Accounts Committee. Normally, we don’t discuss CAG reports, but I don’t want to rest on that technicality. The report has reference in relation to a particular point of time. Substantially, thereafter, significant progress has been made. Thereafter, procedures have been simplified, powers have been decentralised and the Armed Forces are reasonably and sufficiently equipped. Let me assure this House,” Mr. Jaitley said.
However, the Opposition was not satisfied with the reply and put tough posers to the government.
“When was procedure simplified?” asked Anand Sharma of the Congress and then claimed that the decision was taken just a few days back.
“For three years nothing was done,” he said, adding that there has been no full-time defence minister in the country. Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien said if the Opposition wanted a discussion, they could give a separate notice.
Raising the issue, Ramgopal Yadav (SP) said the CAG report on the shortage of arms and ammunition came amid tension on the borders with both Pakistan and China.
Ripun Bora of the Congress said that major decisions for procurement of weapons taken by the previous UPA government had not been approved by the present government. A Rs. 16,500-crore plan prepared by the defence ministry too had not yet been implemented, he said, adding the CAG had in its report pointed to “very bad condition of Indian Navy” with 38 accidents taking places in the last few years.
