Page 43 - NIS English May16-31

Policy in 2016 was a giant leap forward.

The budget for the year Robust The policy aims to promote defence
manufacturing in India. This policy
2021-22 announced a hike Infrastructure at the gives special emphasis to the Indian
in the capital expenditure border companies which are able to design,
of 18.75 per cent for the 2008 to 2014 develop and produce the defence
modernisation of the equipment indigenously by giving
army. Significantly, the 3,600 7,270 preferences to them while making
three wings of the army KM ROAD BRIDGES defence purchases.
have been given approval The next big challenge was to
to buy any inventory or 2014-2020 identify the various plans for which
new weapon up to Rs 500 4,700 14,953 funds have to be allocated and a policy
Crore for each project. KM ROAD BRIDGES decision has to be taken exigently. The
purchase of 50,000 bulletproof jackets
for the army personnel was expedited
Defence purchases of deadly weapons: who were facing its absolute shortage.
India to receive S-400 air defence system Earlier our jawans engaged in anti-terror
from Russia this year. Kalashnikov AK-203 operations were feeling the heat due
rifles to be indigenously made. Ultra-light to a shortage of bulletproof jackets.
howitzer tanks and Scorpene submarines After a long wait of two decades,
are also being made in the country. the process for procuring helmets for
army jawans was approved who were
CREATION OF THE POST OF CDS earlier facing its severe scarcity.

The post of Chief of Defence The Kanpur-based MKU Industries
Staff was created culminating was given the contract to make
a demand of more than 1.58 Lakh helmets at a cost of
two decades. General Bipin Rs 180 Crore.
Rawat took over as India's The year 2016 remained
first CDS. one of the most eventful
REINING IN TERRORISM for the army in which with
an aim to deal with any
After the abrogation of Article
misadventure from Pakistan
370 from Jammu & Kashmir, in the aftermath of surgical
there has been a sharp fall in Security Matters enabled the three
strike the Cabinet Committee on
terror activities. 20,000 Crore worth of defence deals
wings of the army to procure Rs
594
TERROR INCIDENCES 244 157 211 through the fast track process.
TERRORISTS KILLED
Throwing light on the grave situation
a report of the former Comptroller and
15
8
states that despite the imminent
2019 2020 2021* 2019 2020 2021* (*till march 2021) Auditor General in Parliament clearly
UAPA made more stringent: With an aim to uproot danger, arms and ammunitions were
not stockpiled. The situation had
terrorism the National Investigative Agency (NIA) was reached an alarming level by March
given sweeping powers through an amendment in the 2013. The grave situation in past, that
bill. Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act-UAPA was India was staring at has now dissipated
made more stringent through an amendment. with enough efforts being taken in the
DRDO budget enhanced: The budget this year has recent past to make the army strong.
increased the capital allocation for DRDO by 8 per cent After a wait of 43 years, One Rank One
with an aim to promote research in the defence sector. Pension has also been implemented.

New India Samachar 41