The Defence Minister has urged officials not to forget the jawans (soldiers) after their retirement. He called upon Defence officials to adopt a humane approach towards the requirements of Ex-servicemen so that they could feel that they were as important for the country in their active service as after retirement.
Inaugurating the Financial Controllers’ Conference, the Defence Minister advised his bureaucrats to show humane approach towards the retired soldiers that would make them feel that the country to which they had served so much even at the risk of their life, do not forget them after their retirement.
He said, “Government attaches great importance to the welfare of ex-servicemen.” Our sincerity to the welfare of the retired defence soldiers can be gauged with the establishment of Ex-servicemen’s Welfare Department in the ministry of Defence, which is headed by its own secretary.
“I call upon the Defence Accounts Department, which plays a significant role in the management of pay and allowances and pensionary benefits, to deal the causes of ex-servicemen with all seriousness and sensitivity,” he said.
Defence Financial Councilors have been advised to transform itself according to the changing national and global security scenario and latest development in the defence technologies so that to make meaningful contributions to our acquisition process.
The Department has been asked to frame speedy disbursement procedures to avoid blocking of the services from going in for weapons and platform purchases.
Antony advised the financial managers to upgrade their procedures and techniques in the fields of audit, project management, logistics and budgeting so as to compete with the world.
The Defence Minister said though the Cabinet had cleared devolution of more financial powers to three services on capital purchases, lack of disbursement procedures was hampering the services from going in for weapons and platform purchases and optimal utilisation of the funds.
He asked the financial managers and the Services ‘to sit together and work out practical solutions’ so that budgetary allocations are fully utilised conforming to established procedures and the principles of financial prudence.
He said that the Defence expenditure has grown a lot over the years and today it constitutes the largest expenditure in our budget. He said that the share of capital allocations in the defence budget has rose from around 25 percent in 2000-01 to 40 percent today. But despite that Defence Financial officials have been lacking fineness in negotiating mega deals.
A number of critical issues relating to defence expenditure will be discussed in this three-day conference attended by all the top brass of Defence Services and Ministry.
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