ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Defence Budget may be increased

The Defence Budget for fiscal 1998-99 will be increased through a supplementary budget, Defence Minister George Fernandes said on Friday. He also announced that the yet-to-be-set-up National Security Council would decide on the command and control system of India's nuclear weaponry.

''The finance minister has said in his Budget speech and also given me in writing that the Defence Budget will be increased during the course of the year if necessary,'' Fernandes said.

''He (the finance minister) has assured me and I know that we will need more funds later during the year,'' the defence minister said, giving a clear signal that the Defence Budget would go up.

The defence minister, however, did not disclose why an increase in defence spending would be necesssary.

At Rs 412 billion, the Defence Budget is 14 per cent more than the revised estimates of Rs 360.99 billion for the previous year (1997-98).

The allocation for the current year is Rs 12 billion more than the Rs 400 billion proposed for the year about ten weeks ago while presenting the interim Budget.

The defence allocation is also Rs 51.01 billion more than the revised estimate of Rs 360.99 billion for 1997-98.

Speaking about the problems of spares faced by the defence forces, he said the matter had been sorted out. He also said the next batch of Sukhois would be arriving fairly soon.

Answering another question, he said the Indian army would not cross the ceasefire line with Pakistan and go after militants despite provocation. Recently, three soldiers of the Madras regiment were killed at the Balbir post in the Kupwara region soon after he visited the forward post.

He also made a case for an increased allowance for soldiers posted at the Siachen Glacier. He said officials deputed to the defence ministry were being sent there so that they could familarise themselves with the conditions when taking decisions.

He said he had seen the names of 24 soldiers who had died this year listed there. Though some had died in Pakistan firing, the others had died in accidents. Defence ministry officials had not realised the need for special vehicles and other equipment in this area because they had not seen the situation for themselves.

Tell us what you think of this report