Lok Sabha Debates
Discussion On Demands For Grants No. 19 To22 Under The Control Of Ministry Of ... on 16 March, 2017
Sixteenth Loksabha an> Title: Discussion on Demands for Grants No. 19 to22 under the control of Ministry of Defence for 2017-18.(Discussion not concluded) HON. SPEAKER: Now, the House will take up discussion and voting on Demand Nos. 19 to 22 relating to the Ministry of Defence.
Hon. Members present in the House whose cut motions to the Demands for Grants relating to the Ministry of Defence have been circulated may, if they desire to move their cut motions, send slips to the Table within 15 minutes indicating the serial numbers of the cut motions they would like to move. Only those cut motions in respect of which intimation is received at the Table will be treated as moved.
A list showing the serial numbers of cut motions treated as moved will be put up on the Notice Board shortly thereafter. In case any Member finds any discrepancy in the list, he may kindly bring it to the notice of the Officer at the Table immediately.
“That the respective sums not exceeding the amounts on Revenue Account and Capital Account shown in the third column of the Order Paper be granted to the President, out of the Consolidated Fund of India, to complete the sums necessary to defray the charges that will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 2018, in respect of the heads of demands entered in the second column thereof against Demand Nos. 19 to 22 relating to the Ministry of Defence.” Demands for Grants (General), 2017-18 in respect of Ministry of Defence submitted to the Vote of Lok Sabha No. of Demand Name of Demand Amount of Demands for Grants submitted to the Vote of the House Revenue (Rs.) Capital (Rs. ) 19 Ministry of Defence (Misc.) 27743,95,00,000 5488,69,00,000 20 Defence Services (Revenue) 195309,04,00,000 21 Capital Outlay on Defence Services 86339,95,00,000 22 Defence Pension 85737,31,00,000 HON. SPEAKER: Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia to speak on the Demands relating to the Ministry of Defence, but he has walked out.
So, Shri R.K. Singh, now.
SHRI R.K. SINGH (ARRAH): Thank you, Madam hon. Speaker, for giving me an opportunity to speak on the Demands for Grants relating to the Ministry of Defence, which is a very important subject for our country.
Madam, for our party, the nation comes first; and the national strength, rashtrashakti -- comes before all. That is an article of faith with us, with our party. That is what distinguishes us from every other party.
Our policy is to build up a military capability, which will be capable of defending our interests on the borders, on the seas, in the air. Our policy gives primacy to this aspect. For this, we will provide whatever sums are necessary. Whatever finances are necessary will be provided. Money will never be a constraint in building up our capability. That is our policy. If we need to economize, we will economize in other spheres, but not in Defence. For us, national defence, national defence capability is of primary importance.
Hon. Madam Speaker, we live in a security context which is very difficult. To the west, we have an implacable enemy. We have fought four wars with that country. Even now, it persists in trying to hurt us by using irregulars and terrorists. Its military capability does not compare with ours. I do not think that its military capability will be able to survive a prolonged conventional war. For that purpose, it has started inducting, according to reports, Tactical Nuclear Weapons amongst its forces. Now, that is a very dangerous sort of move.
I think, we need to make it clear to our probable adversary in the west that any use of nuclear weapons, whether tactical or strategic, will at once invite a strong nuclear response, an overwhelming nuclear response. That is that message we need to convey to them.
To the north, we have a very strong enemy. We have an unsettled border to the north. All our attempts to stabilize that border, to even draw up the Line of Actual Control have failed because of the obduracy of China. We just do not see any evidence of China wanting to even draw up or even agree on a Line of Actual Control. Now, that puts into question its intentions. Its intentions are something, which we need to be very careful about. Its capability is something, which we need to be very careful about also. It has a very strong Army and it is in the process of modernizing it. They are reducing the strength of their military but they are developing it, modernizing it and making it stronger and more modern. They are expanding their Navy. They are constructing nuclear submarines and also aircraft carriers. As of now, they have only one aircraft carrier, which is equal to ours. But they are bent upon force projection.
Madam Speaker, they have set up bases, I would call them, all around us. They have a base at Djibouti. They have modernized that port. They had to constructed the Gwadar port in Pakistan. That port is nominally said to be a civilian port, but PLA navy ships regularly call on that port with marines on it. The strength of marines is going to be increased at Gwadar. Similarly, they have modernised a port in Sri Lanka. All these are attempts at encirclement or estabilishing a presence in the India Ocean or around us in our periphery. We need to take cognizance of this.
We need to keep in mind the fact that there is a very great friendship between our two adversaries. Therefore, we have to be ready for a two-front war. We have to be ready for a war in which both of our adversaries collude with each other. Therefore, our security context is difficult.
We have to strengthen our forces keeping this security context in mind. As I said, money is never an issue insofar as Defence is concerned. We have always provided funds as required and we will continue providing more funds. The only difficulty which we will need to address is the capability of the Defence Forces to absorb those funds in expediting our procurement processes, etc. Our modernisation and strengthening of our forces are proceeding apace. For our Army, in the year 2016-17, we concluded agreements for procurement of howitzers, missiles, rockets, etc., for about Rs. 11,800 crore and more are under negotiation. In the Army, Madam, we have undertaken modernisation of the whole gamut of our capabilities starting from an individual soldier. The bullet-proof jacket was an issue. We have authorised procurement of more bullet-proof jackets. We have also floated our RFPs for modern bullet-proof jackets with better protection which will cover more of the body. We are procuring modern sub-machine guns, carbines, under-barrel grenade launchers, ATGMs for the infantry. We have already inducted our Arjun Tanks. The progress of the trials of Arjun Mk-2 is very satisfactory. I think, the induction of Arjun Mk-2 will start very soon.
Our process of building up our capabilities in the Eastern sector is going apace. We are raising a corps in the Eastern sector and that is progressing satisfactorily. We have also operationalised a large number of Advanced Landing Grounds in the Eastern sector. We are stationing Sukhoi Su-30 there. We have also increased the use of drones in the Army so as to increase battlefield awareness. We have increased the availability of battlefield surveillance radars to increase the situational awareness. We have a comprehensive plan for strengthening our Army.
Similarly, we have a very comprehensive plan for strengthening our Navy. We have, as of now, about 41 war ships of different types under construction like destroyers, frigates, submarines and aircraft carriers. Our aircraft carrier was launched. Now, the system integration is going on. We have already commissioned two destroyers which we have constructed in our country. The third one has also been commissioned – INS Chennai – recently. We have already launched a frigate and a corvette has been commissioned. One submarine, which we have constructed under P75, is undergoing sea trials. The other submarine has been launched. As of now, we will be inducting one submarine in every nine months under P75. We have proposed to construct six more submarines under P75I for which the process is on. As I said, we are inducting about 41 crafts in the Navy. We already have long-range surveillance craft for surveilling our seas. We are acquiring more P-81 aircraft.
Our Air Force is also undergoing expansion. This was a much needed expansion. We had proposed for some years to acquire a modern fourth generation aircraft. That was lying in doldrums. It is our Prime Minister who took the bold step of going to France and signing this agreement. Now that agreement for acquisition of 36 Rafales has been signed and the deliveries will start in about a year’s time. The upgradation of Mirage 2000 is complete and the induction has started. Similarly, the upgradation of MiG-29 is complete and now the induction has started. We already have inducted Tejas in the Air Force. One squadron has been set up. We have strengthened our radar systems and we are now strengthening our surface-to-air missile systems. We are going in for an entirely new generation of SAMs. We are developing a medium range surface-to-air missile, a long range surface-to-air missile and a low level, quick reaction surface-to-air missile. We are collaborating with Israeli military industries for this purpose. The development of these SAMs is reaching fruition. I think, very soon we will be in a process to start inducting these surface-to-air missiles.
We are also upgrading armaments on our aircraft. We have already integrated BrahMos on Su-30. Now we are in the process of integrating our beyond-visual-range missile. This missile is called Astra; it is indigenously developed. This missile can strike even beyond what the pilot can see. The process of integration is on. Our Air Force also is being strengthened. We need to buy more aircraft but we are in the process of doing it. The process of development of Tejas Mk2 is also progressing well. So, we will have Tejas Mk2 as well.
In land war, the role of armoured attack helicopter is important. So, we have procured Apache attack helicopters. Our Light Combat Helicopter has cleared trials and that is also being inducted. So, our attack helicopter strength is also being strengthened. In a war, specially in a two-front scenario, one needs to be able to move troops quickly from the eastern front to the western front or vice versa. So, for that, we have inducted heavy lift capability. We have inducted the C-17 Globemaster aircraft. We also intend to induct some more heavy lift aircraft. So, our development, as I said, encompasses the entire spectrum.
I believe that if we are talking about our Defence capabilities, we cannot neglect the strategic capabilities because both our probable adversaries, Pakistan and China, have strategic capability, have nuclear weapons.
In nuclear weapons what is important, especially if we have no first use policy, is to have survivability. Therefore, you need a triad of launch platforms. We have developed that triad; we are in the process of finalising that triad. So, we have land-based missiles; we have actual platform for delivery of nuclear weapon. We are also developing missiles which can be launched from submarines. We already have a nuclear submarine constructed indigenously under trial. The trials are progressing well. We have also tested launching of SLBMs from that submarine. This is something which is state-of-the-art. Therefore, insofar as strategic capabilities are concerned, we are making good progress. The Agni-V was a landmark. That gives us a range of over 5000 kilometres and brings us into a very different league.
Therefore, as I said, we have looked at the entire gamut of our military capabilities and we will continue doing so because as I said, that is an article of faith with us. We also felt the need to revamp the existing procurement systems because procurement was taking a long time, and the only difficulty, if any, was procurement of armaments and weapons. At every stage, it would take time. We have revamped the defence acquisition manual. We have cut down the time limits for different processes. We have cut down the time limit for acceptance of necessity. We have also directed that the request for proposal will be attached with the acceptance of necessity so that it does not take any further time. Similarly, the entire procurement cycle has to be completed in 94 weeks. That is what we have laid down.
We have also delegated more powers to the forces and to the Ministry of Defence. Now, the Ministry of Defence has the power to acquire equipment and armaments worth Rs. 3,000 crore without going anywhere. The armed forces have powers at the level of Vice-Chief to acquire any ammunition they need up to ten days of intense battle, or up to the level of 10-I, we call it 10-I because it is ten days of intense battle. The requirement for that can be procured by the armed forces themselves. They do not need to go anywhere. So, the delegation of powers has been increased exponentially which will ensure faster procurement.
In all, I think we have moved on almost every front. We had set up a Committee under Pritam Singh to look at the entire Defence Procurement Procedure. That report has come and we will be taking further reforms based on that report.
Madam Speaker, this is insofar as capability is concerned. But capability by itself is nothing unless and until you have the will to use it. Unless and until you have that will inside, that capability is meaningless and we have the will to use it and we have demonstrated that will. That will was demonstrated when we struck across the borders and destroyed seven bases which were harbouring terrorists. That was a clear signal, if any signal was required that Government is different -that our Government will strike back. That strike, I think, has sent a clear message, not only to Pakistan but across the world. This shows what our intent is and we have the strength, we have the military capability and we have the will to use it, when required.
Madam Speaker, any army or air force or navy is as good as the soldiers or sailors or airmen manning it. We keep their welfare in view. I would like to send a message from the Government to them that we stand by you. We are aware of your sacrifices. We feel for every drop of blood which you shed in the defence of the country and we will always be there for you. We have this feeling. That is why, we implemented the one rank one pension scheme which was hanging fire for such a long time, without any concern as to what it will cost. Some people pointed out that there were some anomalies. For that also, we have set up a Committee - Justice Reddy Committee. That report has come and we will take decision on all those anomalies in favour of our soldiers very soon. Therefore, we have the interests of our soldiers at heart and we feel for them and that has been very evident.
Madam Speaker, as I said, I believe and our party believes that our defence comes first and foremost and for that, finances will never be a problem and finances will never be a difficulty. That is something which we will stand by and we aim at achieving a capability which will deter and, if necessary, defeat any of our adversaries. Thank you Madam.
CUT MOTIONS PROF. SUGATA BOSE (JADAVPUR): Madam Speaker, three years before we won our freedom, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose gave a speech to the faculty and students of the University of Tokyo on the fundamental problems of India. In the course of his wide-ranging address, he identified three priorities for free India, namely 1) the organization of our national defence, 2) the removal of poverty and 3) the provision of education for the Indian masses. Seventy years after Independence, these areas continue to demand our urgent attention. The challenge for any Finance Minister is to strike just the right balance between the imperative of defence and the need for development in allocating resources of the State. In recent years, we have come to appreciate that national security is a far broader concept than a purely military-oriented definition might suggest. Public investment in a healthy and well-educated populace can be seen as a contribution to our nation’s security. The defence budget, therefore, is simply the most direct aspect of fiscal planning for a safe national environment.
Viewed in this light, the Finance Minister has provided a reasonable sum of Rs.2,74,114 crore for defence expenditure excluding pensions. We can only speculate whether Shri Arun Jaitley would have been more generous to himself than he was to Shri Manohar Parrikar. But be that as it may, the defence budget in our country is the fourth largest in the world after the United States, China and the United Kingdom. There have been steady moderate increases in spending on defence during the last three years. The current ratio of defence expenditure to GDP of 2.14 per cent is higher than the cap of 1.76 per cent that had been proposed by the Thirteenth Finance Commission.
Even though the total allocation for defence may seem adequate, a disaggregation of the amount by revenue and capital expenditure shows there is cause for grave concern. The ratio of revenue to capital expenditure has gone up to as much as 68.4 per cent in the budgeted estimate for 2017-18 by comparison with the already high 64.6 per cent in 2015-16 and 65.3 per cent in 2016-17. With personnel costs swallowing up more than two-thirds of the defence expenditure, precious little is left for the modernization of our armed forces with state-of-the-art technology and equipment.
In fact, the overall modernization budget or what is called the capital procurement budget has gone down this year. The Army has seen a decline of approximately 6.4 per cent and the Navy of as much as 12.1 per cent despite what my friend from the treasury benches said just now. The increase in the Air Force’s budget by about 12.1 per cent is accounted for by a handful of gigantic contracts to acquire Rafale fighters, and Apache attack and Chinook heavy lift helicopters.
Madam Speaker, I am especially dismayed by the cut in the Navy’s modernization budget. The Indian Ocean inter-regional arena is of vital strategic importance to our country. The protection of the sea-lanes traversing the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal is essential if we are to secure our economic future as part of an Asian resurgence in the 21st century. I am aware that the acquisition of six more conventional submarines was authorized last year under Project 75. These are being built in India with foreign collaboration. The first of the Scorpene class submarines, ‘Kalvari’ has gone through its sea trials. But we need to do much more. Our strategic vision on power dynamics in the Indian Ocean must guide our strategic investment in our Navy.
The strong case for increasing capital expenditure on the latest military equipment is unfortunately undermined by the sorry record of under-utilization by the Ministry of Defence of allotted funds. It is most unfortunate that the Ministry of Defence returned more than Rs.12,000 crore under the capital head in 2015-16 and about Rs.7,000 crore in 2016-17. Now, the Finance Minister is once again is the Defence Minister as well, I hope he will take necessary steps to make the Defence Ministry more efficient in utilizing capital funds.
The question of capital expenditure leads me to consider the matter of defence production. Despite the fanfare surrounding Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s Make in India slogan, it unfortunately remains just that – an empty slogan with no strategy for implementation.
In the same speech given by Subhash Chandra Bose that I quoted at the outset, he went on to say that the moment India is free, the most important problem will be the organizing of our national defence in order to safeguard our freedom in the future. For that we shall have to build up modern war industries so that we may produce the arms that we shall need for self-defence. I would emphasise ‘so that we may produce the arms we shall need for self-defence’. This will mean a very big programme for industrialization. Seven decades after Independence, our defence requirements are heavily reliant on imports. The burden of our spiralling import bill has been made more onerous in the last three years because of the declining value of rupee in relation to the dollar.
I would like to ask the Finance Minister, he is not present here today but I hope that he will be listening and you are taking notes, why in his budget he has not given any special incentives to defence production within India in support of the Prime Minister’s Make in India programme. What are his reasons for not giving infrastructure status to the more crucial sectors of our defence industry? Is there any plan at all to provide more jobs for our youth in defence related manufacturing?
In December 2015, our Prime Minister had given a very significant speech to our Army, Navy and Air Commanders in which he spoke of the need for a new approach for our of Armed Forces, one that would give emphasis to new technology instead of blindly increasing the size of the Forces. Has the Government any intention of moving in that direction and thereby improving the ratio of capital to revenue?
China, Madam Speaker, reduced its military manpower from 4.9 million in mid 1990s to 2.3 million two decades later. I know that a drastic reduction is not possible in our country so long as this Government presides over and is complacently satisfied with jobless growth. An employment oriented economic strategy including jobs in defence production is a necessary condition for military modernization.
Madam Speaker, any discussion of our military cannot be limited to dry economic statistics. The people of our country feel an emotional bond with our Armed Forces. We mourn as a nation when the bodies of our martyred jawans are brought back to their home villages in different parts of the country. Our hearts are filled with pride when we see our soldiers marching to the tune of ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’. Our political leadership must do their best not to impose impossible internal security tasks on our military so that our soldiers can focus on defending our borders.
My friend from the BJP almost handed over some territory to our neighbouring country. I thought we had only crossed the Line of Control for the surgical strike, we do not consider that to be Pakistan territory. When we send our soldiers to face the icy winds on the Siachen Glaicer, it is incumbent on us to give them the best protective gear to withstand the elements of nature. We cannot be miserly when it comes to bullet-proof jackets or night-vision equipment for our soldiers working in the most difficult terrain in the world.
Madam Speaker, I feel very sad to note that this Government seems to have had very great difficulty since 2014 in finding a capable and dedicated full-time Defence Minister. I urge the Prime Minister to give the country a Raksha Mantri whose predilection for Goan delicacies is less important than providing nutritious food to our jawans. I urge the Prime Minister to give our country a Raksha Mantri who deems the proud responsibility of organizing our national defence to be more important than power at any cost in a small State of our great Indian Union.
We, on this side of the House, too have a dream for a new India by 2022. I dream that India will be the most vibrant economy in the world with our citizens enjoying universal access to education and healthcare. I dream that India will be home to twenty of the world’s top 100 universities attracting the finest faculty and students from all over the world. An overarching Indian identity will coexist with multiple identities of our diverse population, and that identity will be most powerfully articulated through the medium of our music to whose rhythm the entire country will dance. We will celebrate and respect our differences to rise above them.
We need peace to realize that dream of a prosperous and harmonious India, and to ensure peace, we require intelligent and resolute defence preparedness setting aside all temptations to be jingoistic. There are many weapons that we have to acquire, but we cannot use most of them.
In order to build a new India by the 75th Anniversary of our Independence, we will have to integrate our defence policy with a grand strategic vision based on a broad and imaginative definition of what constitutes genuine national security. This is the challenge before us, Madam Speaker. So, let us together rise to that challenge. Thank you very much.
HON. SPEAKER: Thank you very much for confining to the time allowed.
The next speaker is Shri Pinaki Misra.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE (GULBARGA): Good! SHRI R.K. SINGH: Madam Speaker, he has mentioned about a Minister who is not here. He was called to Goa by the people. … (Interruptions)
HON. SPEAKER: What is it? The Minister is there.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI R.K. SINGH: No, he mentioned about the then Defence Minister, Mr. Parrikar, who is not here. Mr. Parrikar was called to Goa by the people there. … (Interruptions)
PROF. SAUGATA ROY (DUM DUM): His name was not mentioned. …* THE MINISTER OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS AND MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI ANANTHKUMAR): Madam, this is not allowed. … (Interruptions)
HON. SPEAKER: Now, nothing will go on record.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI ANANTHKUMAR: Our former Defence Minister, Mr. Manohar Parrikar, has gone there with the popular demand of the Goan people. … (Interruptions) He is the person who has given the best Government to Goa. … (Interruptions) When he is not there, I do not think that it behooves good to Prof. Sugata Bose to criticize him and to make satirical comments about cuisine and his performance. … (Interruptions)
SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL (ALAPPUZHA): He is exactly right in criticizing. … (Interruptions)
HON. SPEAKER: This is not the subject. It is okay. Please sit down.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI ANANTHKUMAR: Prof. Bose, the credit of surgical strike should be given to our brave jawans; Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi; and definitely Mr. Manohar Parrikar. … (Interruptions) Mr. Manohar Parrikar’s planning made the difference and he created the surgical strike. … (Interruptions)
HON. SPEAKER: It is okay. No cross-talking is allowed like this.
… (Interruptions)
HON. SPEAKER: The next speaker is Shri Pinaki Misra. Only his speech will go on record.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI PINAKI MISRA (PURI): Madam Speaker, let me start on a positive note. … (Interruptions) I would like to start, Madam Speaker, on a positive note. Mr. Parrikar, the former Defence Minister, under whose leadership, the projected requirements for 2017-18 have been prepared by the Defence Ministry, has now today won a Vote of Confidence in Goa and, I think, we owe it to him to congratulate him on taking over as Chief Minister. Let there be no smallness of heart in offering our congratulations to him...(Interruptions)
माननीय अध्यक्ष : सौगत राय जी कृपया बैठ जाइए। हर काम महत्व का होता है। प्लीज़ बैठ जाइए।
SHRI PINAKI MISRA : It is clear though by what he has said today in Goa. On a lighter note, unfortunately, he said in Goa that he had very few friends in Delhi. He did not like the weather in Delhi and he did not like the food in Delhi. He was clearly an unhappy man in Delhi. But, fortunately, we now have Mr. Jaitley who I think has more friends in Delhi than anybody I know, who loves the food of Delhi and who likes the weather of Delhi. So, I think, the Defence Ministry clearly should be looking to better times now under Mr. Jaitley’s helmship.
HON. SPEAKER: Defence matter is for the whole nation.
SHRI PINAKI MISRA : In the matters of Defence, this House has always been by-partisan. It has never been partisan where defence issues are concerned. However, being by-partisan cannot mean that one must not voice one’s concerns with regard to the running of the Ministry. Let me straightaway first preface, Madam Speaker, by acknowledging the fact that the valor and the bravery that have been shown by our soldiers over the last seventy years are next to none in the world. They have been without peer. They are peerless soldiers whether they are from the Army, Navy or the Air Force. Unfortunately, it appears, and this is borne out by what the Standing Committee on Defence has repeatedly said, that the preparedness that the Ministry ought to show in defence matters has been inversely proportionate to the valor and the bravery that these Jawans have shown time and time again. The Defence Standing Committee, in fact, has said that there is absence in proper planning in defence procurement and there are delays in the procurement process preventing the optimum utilization of capital budget. I think, it has gone on year after year. Every year, this is the lament of the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee further has noted that the Army is operating with large-scale vintage equipment. There is shortfall in the number of basic essential items like bullet-proof jackets, vehicles, small arms, infantry specialist weapons, surveillance equipment, communication equipment, radars and power generators. It can go on and on. Mr. Singh had the advantage of having served as Defence Production Secretary. He has, therefore, an insider’s vision and view in these matters. He has portrayed a more optimistic picture of the future going forward than what the Standing Committee has repeatedly said over the last several decades. We can only hope that what Mr. Singh said will actually bear fruit because clearly the Ministry and the mandarins who man the Ministry have been somewhat tardy, lackadaisical, guilty or not being terribly efficient or not being hands-on where defence issues are concerned.
There are some concerns, Madam Speaker, that I must straightaway flag as far as the budgetary figures are concerned. It is not a happy situation that India’s Defence budget in 2017-18 has decreased from 2.4 per cent of GDP in 2011-12 to 2.1 per cent of GDP now. We are the only country in the world among the major defence powers as they are. After all, we consider ourselves a nuclear power now. We want a place at the Nuclear High Table and at United Nation’s High Table. So, we are the only power which is now reducing our defence outlay vis-à-vis GDP. In fact, today it is at par with China at 2 per cent. But, Madam, their GDP is three times our GDP. Therefore, the House can imagine the kind of defence expenditure that China is expending and what we need to do to match up.
The lament that I have here, Madam Speaker, is even the budgetary figures that we are given every year are not being exhausted. The Government had budgeted to spend Rs. 86,298 crore on purchase of defence capital last year, but the Revised Estimates have provided only Rs. 79,327 crore, which was spent. This is not a happy situation. Even with these figures, Shri Singh kept telling us that money is not a constraint. Of course, money is a constraint. There is no question that money is not a constraint. We do not have inexhaustible supplies. But even with the supplies that we have, we are not able to spend them and that, unfortunately, is a very, very sad aspect of the Defence budget that I have to flag here.
In fact, one of the few things that Shri Parrikar did positively, and I must commend him for this, is that he had apparently, in February, sent a proposal to the Finance Ministry that there should be a non-lapsable, roll over fund for modernisation of Armed Forces. This proposal is now pending before the Finance Ministry. Shri Jaitley wears two hats today – both hats, fortunately. I think this proposal would create a fund which would collect all unspent amount from the Defence capital budget from previous years and make a corpus fund. I think this is an excellent idea that Shri Parrikar has mooted. This must be looked at very seriously because this is one area where we cannot allow lapsing of funds. This is not a happy situation. I hope the Finance Ministry looks into this very, very seriously.
Madam, Prof. Bose has dealt with many of the other seminal issues which cause concern. One of the causes of great concern to me, quite frankly, is that the capital outlay used to be 33 per cent of the Defence budget in earlier years. This has now come down significantly to 24 per cent and that is a matter of great concern. More than 50 per cent is going in salaries and pensions and your outlay on capital expenditure is coming down year by year. This is a matter of great concern.
The other concern that I have is, of course, that the Defence Procurement Procedure was finally brought about by the Government two years after it came to power – it came to power in 2014; finally, in 2016, there was a Defence Procurement Procedure, which seems to have been put at least in place in terms of an outline. But, Madam Speaker, even that is not a complete Defence Procurement Procedure so far. Apparently, it has seven chapters – six of which have been released; one chapter has still been held back and this is a critical chapter which will outline how long term strategic partners in the private sector will be selected to manufacture some very complex military platforms like aircraft and submarines.
Madam Speaker, this brings me to the aspect mentioned by Prof. Bose about the ‘Make in India’ initiative. This appears to have borne no fruit so far at all. So, the Prime Minister’s initiative of ‘Make in India’ at least in the Defence sector appears to be a non-starter. More importantly, in answer to a question in Parliament, the Defence Minister has actually had to concede that this year not a single rupee appears to have come, at least, up to September/October, by way of FDI in this sector. There is such a gross shortage of funds within India in terms of our accrual process, if we are not able to invite FDI because of the complexity of procedures that we have set in place, then, this is not a happy situation. This is something that we need to address very, very adroitly, very quickly going forward.
Therefore, I believe that Shri Jaitley has his work cut out before him. Shri Jaitley will have to ensure that the stalled ‘Make in India’ initiative picks up. He has to unlock the FDI logjam which is clearly there, and he has to ensure that the Finance Ministry and the Defence Ministry which appear to be working at cross purposes harmonize themselves because otherwise we are not looking at a position which will give us the kind of defense preparedness that India deserves, and particularly that India deserves its soldiers, who have shown the ultimate valour and bravery going into battle.
Madam Speaker, I would also like to invite your attention to just a couple of other issues. The OROP is a very important component of the Prime Minister’s initiative and the erstwhile Defence Minister’s initiative.
19.00 hours But, what is disconcerting is the utilization of the funds which have been placed. The utilization was Rs.12,456 crore and up to November only Rs.3000 crore has been managed to be spent on this account. Therefore, kindly look at the anomalous position we are in. In nine months, we have spent Rs.3,000 crore. But the Government now promises that in three months, they will spend Rs.9000 crore. This appears to be again a matter of very poor planning clearly. There appears to be no outreach to these people who are our veterans. These are people who have laid down their entire career, their entire lives in the cause of the nation. Therefore, I do not understand as to why for nine months, only Rs.3000 crore has been managed to be spent. This vast amount of money now has to be squeezed in and spent over three months. This is one of the issues which I thought truly we needed to flag.
With these words, I once again voice my concern. I think, there is definitely a concern here. There is one other issue incidentally. The C&AG Audit Report of 2015 has found that 50 per cent of the ammunition stocks with the Army were at critically low levels in 2012-13. I do not know what the current figures are. At that point, they would last only ten days. Shri Singh has assured us that these figures have improved significantly. We do not have the current figures. But, if the figures mentioned by the C&AG of 2012-13 were correct, this situation is an absolutely drastic situation. Apparently, this situation has worsened much more because it used to be 15 per cent ten years back. Therefore, from 15 per cent, it has now come down hugely. Therefore, I would urge the Defence Ministry to arm our soliders, give them what they need because there is no dearth, there is no shortage of their valour and bravery. But, we need to do our bit in order to ensure that they do not sit on those commanding heights in the Himalayas with shortage of equipment, shortage of food and shortage of material, which is something. The least that we can do is to arm them sufficiently.
I am very grateful to you. I thank you.
HON. SPEAKER: Thank you very much for timely concluding the speech.
SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY (MAHABUBNAGAR): I thank you Madam for giving me this opportunity. The position of the Minister of Defence is a very important one. It takes years to understand the responsibility of the post. Shri Parrikar had given priority to Goa. Shri Arun Jaitleyji will lead the charge of improving the state of the Armed Forces.
We are all aware of the fact that after years of sacrifice of our freedom fighters, we attained Independence from the British. At the time of Independence, Pakistani forces attacked Kashmir. At that time, our forces assisted Raja Hari Singh with full force to combat the attack of Pakistan. Till now, our great country has been a part of four wars, namely, Indo-China war of 1962, Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 and Indo-Pakistan war of 1999, that is, the Kargil War. Today, we witness such a condition of our Armed Forces that every Department has the shortage of supply and equipment. Our defence preparedness is in shambles. We mentioned about every Department – ammunition, assault rifles, bullet proof jackets, missiles, helicopters, fighters and warships. They are witnessing shortfall in supply and maintenance issue. This is the primary reason for the weakness of our forces. It is proudly said देश शांति से सोता है, क्योंकि हमारे जवान सरहद पर तैनात हैं। Today the condition of the jawans is such that even though they are responsible for our security, we are not providing them equipment that they require.
The Defence Budget presented this year is only 2.1 per cent of the GDP. From 2011 to 2012 till now, the Budget is the least in terms of the GDP. We have to improve the preparedness of our forces when the Budget has to be brought to three per cent of the GDP.
Once upon a time a very famous slogan was raised – Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. Today the condition is such that the Kisan is suffering because he is not receiving adequate MSP. He is not being provided with either world-class irrigation facilities. The kind of help he requires from the Government is not being given to him. The rate of farmers’ suicide is on the rise year after year. Aam aadmi is also gravely suffering from demonetisation effect and they had to leave their work and ignore their families and stand in queues. And now it seems like – Ab Ki Baari, Jawan Ki Baari.
A little while ago a BSF Jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav exposed the quality of food and equipment given to the Jawans at higher altitudes. It seems that there is corruption of a very high order. The incident took place fairly three months ago and the Government has failed to take any action on that.
To make our forces operationally prepared, modernisation is extremely important. Capital modernisation share was 55 per cent in 2007-08 and now it is reduced to 40 per cent in the Budget of 2017-18. In the 2017-18 budget allocation, modernisation’s extremely crucial capital acquisition has seen a fall of minus 0.9 per cent compared to 2016-17 revised estimates. The Ministry of Defence came up with a long-term integrated perspective plans in 2012 till 2017 and mentioned utilisation of 200 billion dollars of defence modernisation and making our armed forces strong. Yet, there has never been an outlay of over 13 billion dollars till now as compared to the suggested figure of 16 billion dollars.
I would like to highlight facts about DRDO. Many years have passed since its inception. Yet in the sphere of defence innovation we have not found any breakthrough. Recently our Navy rejected Tejas aircraft which was developed in association with DRDO this year. It is a well-known fact India is the world’s largest importer of defence equipment and China which has a similar population as India has steadily become an exporter.
The way out is, to invest in defence equipment innovation to become a self-reliant nation. Self reliance will boost investment in our country as well as create new employment opportunities and enable our armed forces with the latest technology.
Madam, I would now like to mention the defence budget figures of a few leading economies in the world. US has spent modernisation 596 billion dollars whereas China is spending 215 billion dollars, Saudi Arabia is spending about 87 billion dollars, Russia is spending about 66 billion dollars, UK is spending about 55 million dollars, and India is spending only 51 million dollars.
The Government has publicised the Indian economy as a bright spot around the world. But how is it a bright spot? Till now no initiative has been taken in terms of defence spending to make our feel secure.
Pakistan, in comparison to India is far behind in terms of naval power. They have a fleet of 197 as compared to our 295. Yet if we face a scenario where China helps Pakistan with their fleet of 714, then we will be at the receiving end. Today Pakistan and China are targeting India. So, they are ready to Pakistan with their fleet. If we talk about the self-propelled guns, Pakistan is way ahead with 462 as compared to our 290.
I would also like to mention about nuclear warheads. Our neighbour Pakistan has 110 to 120 nuclear warheads; we have 90 to 100 of them. As of today, we have only 3.65 squadrons which is way too less in terms of the sanctioned capacity, and many of our frontline aircrafts have become obsolete. Yesterday, a Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft crashed in Shivkar Kudla village of Barmer district of Rajasthan. Pakistan and China have about 750 advanced air defence and multiple role fighter aircrafts whereas Indian Air Force is continuously falling in numbers due to one issue or the other.
Coming to Navy, if you look at the Budget of 2016-17, it was Rs. 21,323 crore; now it is only Rs. 18,749 crore which means a reduction of 12.1 per cent. When other countries are going ahead in modernisation, we are decreasing. The worst performance in modernisation is that of Navy. Every Department is facing some shortcoming. It is because of our over-confidence on our ageing fleets.
A little while ago, the CAG Report was tabled in Parliament wherein the CAG clearly mentioned that till 2012, all of 61 Indo-China border roads had to be completed under the border road development programme, whereas till now only 22 roads have been completed; the cost of completion has escalated to Rs. 4,536 crore whereas the overall budget for 61 roads was Rs. 4,644 crore. Because of the reduction in the budget of border roads, the BRO is compromising. They say that the Ministry of Finance imposes ceiling on the allocation of budget for the Revised Estimate and the Budget Estimate based on the actual expenditure incurred during the last financial year and the current financial year. Due to the restricted allocation of the budget of BRO, the following works are affected: original works planned on roads; resurfacing works, maintenance and snow clearance of roads; BRO is a work-charged organisation due to which the pay and allowances of BRO personnel are kept as liability for the next financial year and full utilization of resources cannot be done; payment of firms for procurement of vehicles, equipments and plants is kept as liability for next financial year. Earlier, my friend was saying that there is no shortage of money. But you can see that the modernisation budget of Army is reduced; the modernisation budget of Navy is reduced; the modernisation budget of BRO is reduced. China and Pakistan have reached our borders with dual roads and they can come to the border within a few hours whereas it still takes days for our jawans to reach there. Even the food supply which is given to them is being air-dropped till now. Our potential enemies who are there are so much in an advanced stage.
My friend from TMC has already spoken about the status of production which is happening now. Where is ‘Make in India’? You can see that farmers are committing suicide; people who are trying to become entrepreneurs, people who are trying to come into production, people who want to do production for our country are now on the suicide path. So, the production is also deteriorating day by day.
My request is this. Shri Jaitley is holding the charges of both Finance and Defence Ministries together now. We have a lot of hope on Shri Jaitley that he would definitely see that modernisation of Forces of the country takes place.
Finally, the Ministry of Defence is a specialised Ministry. The Armed Forces personnel bring forward very important demands upon the Ministry which are very integral to our national security. The fulfilment of these requests requires the bureaucrats to be aware about the Defence requirements and take an informed decision. That is why I would like to propose a mechanism where at the time of recruitment in the Ministry of Defence Armed Forces personnel should be given priority as they are accustomed to the needs of our soldiers. Otherwise, the uniformed person gives one proposal and the person or the bureaucrat sitting in the office takes another decision. That is the main reason for our lack of ability in Defence. Hence I request Shri Jaitley to please look into this, completely overhaul the situation, and our bring Defence into a proper situation.
Thank you.
श्री आनंदराव अडसुल (अमरावती): माननीय अध्यक्ष महोदया, मैं आपको बहुत‑बहुत धन्यवाद देता हूं, क्योंकि आपने मुझे बोलने का अवसर दिया। हमारे देश में प्रमुख रूप से केंद्र सरकार की डिफेंस मिनिस्ट्री सबसे अहम् और महत्वपूर्ण मंत्रालय है, ऐसा मैं मानता हूं। इसका कारण यह है कि हमारे डिफेंस मिनिस्ट्री के पास तीन ऑर्गनाइजेशंस है, पानी में देश की सुरक्षा करने वाली नेवी है, आकाश में सुरक्षा करने वाली एयरफोर्स है और जमीन पर सुरक्षा करने वाली हमारी आर्मी है। हमारे देश में जो भी एक्टिविटीज़ करते हैं, किसान खेती करते हैं, स्टूडेंटेस पढ़ाई करते हैं, कुछ लोग कचहरी का काम करते हैं और कुछ लोग अन्य प्रकार के काम करते हैं। हम लोग अपना काम इसलिए कर पाते हैं, क्योंकि हमारे मन में सुरक्षा का विचार बैठा है। हमारे देश की सीमा पर जो सुरक्षाकर्मी हैं, हिमालय के पास चीन के बॉर्डर पर हमने देखा है कि विंटर में नीचे बर्फ है और ऊपर से बर्फ गिरती है, लेकिन हमारे सुरक्षाकर्मी ऊँची पहाड़ियों पर अपनी डय़ूटी निभा रहे हैं। इसी प्रकार समुद्र के तूफान में नेवी के सोल्जर्स हमारी सुरक्षा करते हैं और जहां जरूरत पड़ती है, वहां हमारी एयरफोर्स काम करती है। आज जब हम लोग यहां डिफेंस के ऊपर डिसक्शन कर रहे हैं, तो हमारे मन में यही बात रहती है कि हम सुरक्षित हैं।
मैं सदन के सामने कुछ मुद्दे रखना चाहता हूं। हमारे देश ने अभी तक चार वार्स का सामना किया है। वर्ष 1961 में चीन की वार हुई थी। उस समय डिफेंस मिनिस्टर श्री कृष्ण मेनन जी थे। हमारे सामने से चीन ने अटैक किया, लेकिन हमारे देश के रक्षा मंत्री ने हमारे सोल्जर्स को कोई आदेश नहीं दिया, सिर्फ पीछे आने का आदेश दिया, यह दुर्भाग्य की बात है । मैं यह बात जरूर उठाना चाहता हूं, उस समय देश के प्रधान मंत्री श्री जवाहर लाल नेहरू जी थे, उनको याद आया और महाराष्ट्र के तत्कालीन चीफ मिनिस्टर श्री कैलाशपति यशवंत राव चव्हाण को यहां बुलाकर डिफेंस मिनिस्टर का चार्ज दिया। उस समय ऐसा कहा गया था कि आचार्य अत्रे बहुत प्रसिद्ध थे और उनको नाम दिया गया था- देशवंत खड़गे यानी तलवार। मराठी में यह भी बात हुई थी "महाराष्ट्र मेला तरी राष्ट्र मेले मराठी बिणा राष्ट्रगाणा ना चाली", उन्होंने यह सही मायने में करके दिखलाया था। उसी समय चीन का युद्ध खत्म हुआ था। वर्ष 1965 में पाकिस्तान ने अटैक किया था। हमारे सोल्जर्स बहुत काबिल हैं, लेकिन उनको आदेश देने वाला डिफेंस मिनिस्टर भी अच्छा होना चाहिए। हमारे जो डिफेंस सोल्जर्स थे, वे करांची तक पहुंच गए थे। यह भी हमें याद रखना चाहिए। बाद में 1971 में भी पाकिस्तान के साथ वार हुआ था, तब भी हमने पाकिस्तान को हराया था। वर्ष 2000 में कारगिल वार हुआ, नवंबर और दिसंबर का महीना था, पहाड़ी के ऊपर से पाकिस्तानी सोल्जर्स ने हमला किया था। ऐसी हालत में हमारे सोल्जर्स नीचे थे और पहाड़ी के ऊपर से वे हमला कर रहे थे। यह भी याद रखना जरूरी है कि तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री श्रद्धेय अटल जी वहां खुद गए थे। उन्होंने वहां जाकर सोल्जर्स का हौसला बढ़ाया था। इसी कारण कारगिल वार इतना कठिन होने के बावजूद हमने जीता।
हमें एक बात जरूर ध्यान में रखनी जरूरी है कि हमारे सोल्जर्स काबिल हैं। एक बात का दर्द होता है, जब यह शब्द सामने आता है, पाक व्याप्त कश्मीर। हर हिंदुस्तानी को दर्द होता है और होना भी चाहिए। ऐसा भी बोला जाता है कि वार में हम जीते, लेकिन तह में हम हारे। यह पाक व्याप्त कश्मीर हुआ कैसे और हुआ तो आज पाक व्याप्त कश्मीर भी बोलते हैं, कश्मीर हमारा भी बोलते हैं, फिर वह पाक के कब्जे में क्यों है? यही नहीं, आतंकवादियों को ट्रेनिंग देने का काम वहीं पाक व्याप्त कश्मीर में होता है।
बहुत सालों से हम हर रोज पेपर में यही पढ़ते हैं कि शस्त्र संधि का ऐलान होता है, लेकिन तोड़ने का काम पाकिस्तान के सोल्जर्स करते हैं। कभी हमारे डिफेंस के सोल्जर्स मरते हैं, तो कभी सिविलियंस मरते हैं। हर बार हमें यही चित्र देखने को मिलता है, फिर वह शहीद होता है, फिर उसे मान-सम्मान के साथ लाया जाता है, उसे उसके गांव में भेजा जाता है। यह सिलसिला कितने दिन तक चलेगा?
मैं एक बात सदन में रखना चाहता हूं। एक सर्जिकल अटैक हुआ। अगर हमने तय किया तो क्या हो सकता है, इसका बहुत अच्छा एक उदाहरण हमें देखने को मिला। जब सर्जिकल अटैक हुआ, तो उसके दूसरे दिन आदरणीय प्रधान मंत्री जी ने सभी पार्टी के नेतागण को डिफेंस हाउस में बुलाया और वहां एक प्रेजेंटेशन दिया कि कैसे अटैक किया गया। एलओसी क्रॉस करके, लाइन ऑफ बार्डर क्रॉस करके हमारे सोल्जर्स रात को जाते हैं, 24 घंटे का उनको समय दिया था, जो भी कैंप्स हैं, वहां से जाने का और आपके सामने जो कैंप हैं, उनको तोड़ने का काम दिया और यह सक्सेसफुल हुआ। 24 घंटे में हमारे सोल्जर्स ने जाकर 42 कैंप्स को ध्वस्त करके, बराबर अपनी जगह में, अपने कैंप में आए थे। वे इसे करने के लिए काबिल हैं, लेकिन बाद में वही सिलसिला देखने को मिलता है, फिर शस्त्र संधि तोड़ी जाती है। यह भी साबित हो चुका है कि आतंकवादी स्पांसर्ड बाई दि डिफेंस ऑफ दि पाकिस्तान हैं। क्या एक ही सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक किया तो हमारा काम खत्म हो गया। हम तो नहीं बोलेंगे कि हर बार केवल सर्जिकल अटैक करो। आमने-सामने सामना करना भी जरूरी है, ऐसा मैं मानता हूं। जब तक हम यह नहीं करेंगे, तब तक यह सिलसिला चालू रहेगा।
जैसा मेरे साथी ने बताया, जो वेपंस हैं, जो वार के इक्विपमेंट्स हैं, जब तक माडर्न और नई टेक्नालाजी के साथ नहीं करेंगे, खाली बात करने से फायदा नहीं होगा, माडर्न इंडिया का स्लोगन देने से फायदा नहीं होगा, वह इसमें लाना जरूरी है।
पहले हम देखते थे और शायद आप भी एनसीसी में रहे होंगे। जब हम कॉलेज लाइफ में जाते थे तो शुरू-शुरू में दो साल की कंपल्सरी एनसीसी हमें करनी पड़ती थी, लेकिन आज यह बंद हो गया है। इजरायल में हमने देखा कि 15-16 साल की लड़की हो या लड़का, उनको कंपल्सरी डिफेंस की ट्रेनिंग दी जाती है। कम से कम कॉलेज स्टूडेंट के लिए हम क्यों न इसे कंपल्सरी करें। जैसे पहले था, हम अपने जवानों को क्यों नहीं ट्रेंड करें। जब कोई सोल्जर खाने या अन्य चीजों के बारे में शिकायत करता है तो उसे सस्पैंड किया जाता है। डर के मारे दूसरा और तीसरा सोल्जर शिकायत नहीं करता, लेकिन यह हकीकत है। हम मुम्बई फोर्ट एरिया में जाते हैं, जब मैं बैंक में सर्विस करता था तो वहां जाता था। कभी वहां के सिगरेट स्टॉल में जाएंगे तो देखेंगे कि नेवी के सिगरेट बेचने के लिए लोग आते हैं। हमारे सोल्जर्स को जो दारू, रम दी जाती है, वह वहां खुलेआम बिकती है। यह कैसे होता है, क्यों आती है? उनके लिए एक स्पैशल कैंटीन होती है जिसमें टैक्स की पूरी सहूलियत दी जाती है। हम देखते हैं कि वे सभी चीजें बाहर आती हैं।
हमारे सामने बोफोर्स घोटाला आया, हैलिकॉप्टर घोटाला भी सामने आया। अगर ये चीजें पास होतीं, इसका मतलब यह नहीं है कि आज नहीं होतीं, यह मानना गलत होगा। इस पर निगरानी रखना जरूरी है। कोई सोल्जर खाने-पीने की चीजों के बारे में बोलता है। जब हम कभी ज्यादा बाहर होते हैं तो हमें भी लगता है कि घर का खाना मिले, प्यार से बनाया हुआ खाना मिले। एक सोल्जर भी यही चाहता है, लेकिन उसे पता है कि अगर नॉर्मल परिस्थिति होगी तब ही मुझे छुट्टी मिलेगी और मैं अपने घर जा पाऊंगा। अगर उसका बच्चा भी पैदा होता है तो उसे उस समय मुंह देखने के लिए भी लीव नहीं मिलती। वह ऐसी हालत में काम कर रहा है। ऐसी स्थिति में हम उसे सही ढंग से खाना भी न दे पाएं, सही वैपन्स उसके हाथ में नहीं दे पाएं।
हमने चाइना बार्डर में देखा कि चाइना की रोड्स, आकाशवाणी सैंटर, हैलिपैड्स, एयर स्ट्रिप्स सब कुछ मौजूद है, लेकिन हमारे यहां अभी तक रोड्स भी सीधी नहीं बनाई गई हैं। मैं पिछले 7-8 सालों से जब जाता हूं तो देखता हूं, मैं बार्डर की बात कर रहा हूं, रोड का काम चालू है तो चालू ही है। बार्डर सिक्युरिटी फोर्स सही मायने में रोड बनाने में काबिल है। अगर हम उन्हें सही ढंग से फंड्स, पैसे नहीं देंगे, तो वे काबिल होते हुए भी रोड नहीं बना पाएंगे। इस बारे में भी देखने की जरूरत है।
जब वार होता है, जो मैटिरियल सप्लाई करना होता है, जैसे हैलिपैड, एयर स्ट्रिप्स, अच्छी रोड्स, अच्छी सुविधाएं होना जरूरी है। हम अच्छे बजट का प्रोविजन करते हैं, लेकिन ऐलोकेशन करते समय किस मद में कितना करना है, यह भी सोच-समझकर करना जरूरी है। दुर्भाग्य की बात है कि इसकी मॉनिटरिंग सही ढंग से नहीं होती। मैंने जो चीजें अभी तक बताईं, इसी कारण वे सामने आती हैं।
और भी कुछ बातें हैं। हम बहुत सालों से देखते आए हैं, हमारे देश के तीन बाजू में कोस्टल एरिया है। जब मुम्बई में अटैक हुआ था, तो समुद्र मार्गीय हुआ था। यह तय किया गया था कि हम स्पीड बोट देंगे, हर 20-25 किलोमीटर में एक चौकी बनाएंगे, अच्छे वैपन्स देंगे, लेकिन उनमें से आज तक कुछ अमल नहीं हुआ, यह दुर्भाग्य की बात है। आतंकवादी भले ही कुछ दिन न आएं, लेकिन कभी आ सकते हैं, पर्टिकुलरली मुम्बई जिसे देश की आर्थिक राजधानी कहा जाता है, वहां जान-बूझकर अटैक होते हैं। इस बारे में भी हमें देखना चाहिए। आज पाकिस्तान आमने-सामने लड़ाई करने की हिम्मत नहीं करता, लेकिन आतंकवाद के माध्यम से प्रॉक्सी वार करता है। हमारे देश में कुछ ऐसे लोगों के माध्यम से करता है। अगर हम इन सब बातों का ध्यान रखकर आगे नहीं चलेंगे, तो दुर्भाग्य है कि एक बाजू में चाइना है और दूसरे बाजू में पाकिस्तान है, अगर मैं यह बोलूं कि श्रीलंका उन्होंने अपने हाथ में रखा है तो वह भी गलत नहीं होगा। नेपाल की स्थिति भी ऐसी ही है, अगर ऐसा मानें तो कुछ गलत नहीं होगा। अगर हम इन सब बातों को ध्यान में रखेंगे तो डिफैंस जो हमारा संरक्षण करता है, जिसके कारण हमारे निजी जीवन में हर एक्टीविटी करना पॉसिबल होता है, इसलिए डिफैंस की ओर ज्यादा ध्यान देना जरूरी है, ऐसा मैं मानता हूं।
आपने मुझे बोलने का अवसर दिया, इसके लिए धन्यवाद।
*DR. A. SAMPATH (ATTINGAL): I may be permitted to speak in Malayalam, my mother tongue. I am sure, each member sitting here has some one; may be among his blood relation, or else a close friend, who has became a martyr or has suffered grave injuries fighting on the war front.
I too come from such a family. Two of my family relations became martyrs in war. One of my uncle lost his legs and he had to live with artificial legs for twenty years.
We all honour and respect members of our armed forces and we have love for their family members. It is also a matter of pride for us, that India has the fourth largest army in the world.
Our army has performed great services for the nation. In the most difficult terrains in the midst of extreme heat and biting and freezing cold, and forest terrains in assessable for man, our soldiers perform day and night. Without expressing our gratitude for them, no one can participate in this discussion on demands for grants of the Defence Ministry.
With your permission, I want to bring a few facts for your consideration. My respected friend, who usually sits behind, me, comrade M.P. Rajesh , asked me to bring this matter to the minister’s notice.
In Palaghat district, we have Bharat Earth Movers Ltd.. The Government of Kerala had handed over 300 crores worth land to the Central Government to raise up BEML. As per present records, BEML’s asset is worth one lakh crore rupees. Land itself is precious in Kerala Madam. 26% of this share, which comes to thousand crores, is going to be sold under disinvestment policy by the Central Government. This would be a cruel act, like butchering the hen that lays golden egg. I request the minster, Shri Arun Jaitley Ji to reconsider the move to sell of the shares of BEML.
Secondly, in my own constituency, Attingal, in Nedumagad, assembly constituency, in is a place called Karakulam, where we have a Keltron unit functioning. Keltron is under the Government of Kerala, it is a public sector undertaking that produce the mine shells which are used by the Indian Navy. Keltron makes the shells and other related equipments that enable navy to handle the mines and release them safety in the sea. Keltron does not get orders in time. If they get orders in time, payments are not made in time. We talk of make in India, Madam.
Some members pointed out that while we talk of make in India, private enterprises are hesitating to enter the field of arms production. Madam, was ISRO a private enterprise? Vikram Sarabhai and Hanimi Jahangir Baba were not part of any private enterprise. ISRO took brith, grew, and now flourishes, to the extent that other nations admire and are envious of its achievement, only because way they are still a Government controlled organization. Madam, you yourself read out a statement commending the achievements of ISRO. Government should make more investment in the defence sector. Today, India has become a target nation for arm merchants. This House itself has discussed umpteen number of scandal stories related with the defence sector. So many, defence scams had surfaced in the media. After Saudi Arabia, India is the second largest importer of arms. Why cant we raise the indigenous production of arms? Even after seventy years of independence, we are begging before for fighter plans, submarines, helicopters, tanks, for fire ammunition, warships and mechanized guns. So war is an industry. War has become business. The false propaganda, the media wars, they pave the way for war. We saw this happening in Syria, Iraq, Libya and Palestine. People want peace. But several Governments want war. War is destruction madam. Those who suffer are the widows, the orphans, the maimed and mutilated soldiers, polluted air and polluted soil, polluted water and skies. We want peace. There is a move to privatize the arm production, which will attract commission agents. Arms deal is a medium for promoting illegal money. We should not became a link in the chain of arms market destination.
Madam Speaker, in the past few years we are signing billions and billions crore worth arms deals. We will all regret, if India becomes a junkyard for the advanced nations to dump their arms. Some members of your own state raised a point, and I too raised this point during the last session. Diego Garcia an island, in the Indian Ocean is not just a threat to our fishermen, it is a threat to all Indians. The NATO camp in Diego Garcia, is kidnapping our traditional fishermen and they ask for ransom from us. It is just like the ransom that Somalian Pirates demand after capturing sailors. We should condemn such acts, and take steps to prevent such acts in future.
Our naval force has to be empowered further. When I was a member of the 11th Lok Sabha, I got an opportunity to visit Siachin as part of the first Parliamentary delegation. I lived with the soldiers there, on the borders of China and Pakistan. Has this House ever discussed, the problems faced by those soldiers of the lowest rank? A lot of insubordination and discrimination happen. Even as we are proud of the organisational stability of the armed forces, the orderly system, camp followers, they too are humans sir. They too have families. They too have tears. An army does not constitute to officers alone. Its victory belongs to all those, ranks who took part in the battles.
Why aren’t we filling up the vacancies in the India army? Why aren’t our young and daring boys entering the army, navy and airforce in larger numbers. Why is it that we are not paying attention to improving our man power. Why is it that the women’s representation in the army, still very nominal?
Army, Navy and Airforce do not belong only to the men. If Iran can recruit and train their women, for warfare, why can’t a secular nation, the largest democracy in the world, increase the representation of women in armed forces?
The retired army personnel have severe problems. The army personnel are looking with expectations on the Seventh Pay Commission?
When ever armed forces tribunal passes a verdict in favour of an army personal, the Government of India, moves the Supreme Court to deny him his right.
This is a common characteristic of the Government of India. Whenever a tribunal gives a decision in favour of the employee or retired employee the Government moves the high court. How can a retired army man, continue to fight in the Supreme Court of India, to get his due. The Government should take a more humanistic stand.
I belong to Thiruvananthapuram district. In my Lok Sabha constituency, Katakada assembly constituency, pallichal gram panchayat, had a pathway which the natives were using for centuries. Women and children could walk home , carrying food and waters. Now the path has been closed by the army. The people are afraid of the army uniform. They are suffering. The army is a symbol of authority for the people .
My request, is that we have army cantonment boards. Where ever there are army cantonments, like pangod in thiruvananthapuram, in all pending disputes with civilian population there should be a permanent redressal mechanism, in which the people’s represent ivies too should have a place. The civilians too belong to us.
Similarly, the special armed protection act, is in vogue in several places. It is undeclared emergency situation. We expect our army men and officers to be gentle men. They should never became a rogue but the House should think whether there are instances where crimes might have been done by erring officers. The tears of ours sisters and children should not go unheeded. We can’t turn a deaf ear, to their cries, especially since, a Supreme Court lawyer and a very senior Parliamentarian Shri Arun Jaitley is holding the defence portfolio too, wherever you can relax the Armed Special Power Act, we should relaxed whether it be Jammu and Kashmir or the North eastern state. The retired army men have not get their due, as per the one rank one pension scheme.
I am going to conclude. The people want peace. They don’t wan’t war. We maintain our army to maintain peace. Along with the army, our border forces, ITBP, they too work in extensively tough terrain and inclement whether. But there is no parity between army and other forces. We hear the slogan Jaya Jawan Jaya Kisan. Tomorrow, we will discuss the Home Ministry’s demand. But our paramilitary is also performing under duress . So the Defence and Home Ministry should come together and give justice to our para military personnel.
In civil services we have a system, which is called, non functioned up-gradation. This is followed. in IAS and IPS. But this opportunity is not given to the armed forces personnels. This anomaly should be rectified. We have declared. On rank, one pension scheme. I come from the land of Lt. Col. Hanuffudin who scarified his life in Kargil. I am coming from the land of, Anil Kumar, who was paralysed for more than 18 years after a serious accident. A men from Cherayan Kesh whose brain alone would function, where the body become paralyzed below the reach. He was a fighter pilot. By biting a pen like improvised mouse, using a computers, he communicated to the world and his writings are part of the syllabus in Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra schools.
19.30 hours (Hon. Deputy Speaker in the Chair.) His words are instilling hope and strength in the minds of children, how to overcome even death and contribute in life. Without being a living corpse by only using his brain lips health, ears and eyes he communicated with the world. His courage symbolises the never dying spirit of the Indian army. That Indian army, has to be modernized by all means. The defence budget should not be used for importing armaments from other, but for research and making indigenous arms that can strengthen and modernize our force.
Thank you.
श्री हरिओम सिंह राठौड़ (राजसमन्द) : आदरणीय उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं आपके प्रति आभार व्यक्त करता हूं कि आपने मुझे वर्ष 2017-18 की रक्षा मंत्रालय की अनुदानों की मांगों पर बोलने का अवसर प्रदान किया।
भारत के यशस्वी प्रधानमंत्री माननीय नरेन्द्र मोदी जी का संकल्प है कि भारत सामरिक एवं आन्तरिक दृष्टि से एक सशक्त राष्ट्र एवं विश्व में एक गौरवपूर्ण राष्ट्र के रूप में पहचाना जाए। इसी उद्देश्य की प्राप्ति को मद्देनजर रखते हुए हमारे यशस्वी वित्त मंत्री आदरणीय अरुण जेटली जी ने वर्ष 2017-18 के राष्ट्रीय बजट में रक्षा मंत्रालय के लिए विशेष प्रावधान रखा है। मैं उन्हें इसके लिए बधाई देता हूं।
भारत का सुरक्षा परिवेश क्षेत्रीय एवं वैश्विक सुरक्षा घटनाक्रमों और चुनौतियों का एक जटिल ताना-बाना है। भारत की सामरिक अवस्थिति और इसके बढ़ते हुए वैश्विक संबंधों के कारण कई प्रकार के ऐसे मुद्दों पर कार्य करने की आवश्यकता होती है, जो महत्वपूर्ण राष्ट्रीय हितों को निरापद रखने के लिए राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा पर प्रभाव डालते हैं। निकटतम पड़ोसी देशों और आगे के भूभाग में अनिश्चितता, अस्थिरता और हलचल से उत्पन्न समस्याओं के निराकरण के लिए तैयारी की अवस्था को बढ़ाने की जरूरत हमेशा हमारी उच्च प्राथमिकता रही है।
साथ ही, अंतर्राष्ट्रीय शान्ति और स्थिरता बनाए रखने के लिए एक विदेशी मित्र राष्ट्र के साथ मजबूत रक्षा भागीदारी बनाने के नए और सफल प्रयास किए गए हैं। भारत के निकटतम दक्षिण एशियाई पड़ोसी देशों में सुरक्षा स्थिति एक मिश्रित तस्वीर पेश करती है, जबकि वहां के कुछ देशों में सुरक्षा और राजनीतिक स्थिति में सुधार हुआ था। दूसरे देशों में राजनैतिक गतिविधियों ने आतंरिक सुरक्षा की स्थिति को बदतर बना दिया। आतंकवाद, विद्रोह और साप्रदायिक झड़प क्षेत्र की स्थिरता के लिए बढ़ते हुए खतरे हैं। पड़ोसी राष्ट्रों के साथ व्यापक तौर पर संबंध बनाने की नयी ऊर्जा देने के लिए चालू प्रयासों के बीच क्षेत्र के लिए सहयोगात्मक सुरक्षा के उपाय की तात्कालिक प्रासंगिकता है। भारत समानता, पारस्परिक लाभ और आपसी सम्मान के आधार पर अपने सभी पड़ोसी भागीदारों के साथ सुरक्षा सहयोग निर्मित करने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध है।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, हम लोगों ने पिछले वर्षों में पाकिस्तान के साथ कई युद्ध किये हैं। उन युद्धों को मद्देनजर रखते हुए, हम ने रक्षा कवच पाक केन्द्रित रखा था, लेकिन आने वाले समय के लिए उसे चीन केन्द्रित बनाने की आवश्यकता महसूस की है। इस संदर्भ में सरकार ने सही निर्णय लेते हुए माउंटेन स्ट्राइक कोर जैसी बटालियन गठित करके उस क्षेत्र में सुरक्षा सुनिश्चित करने के लिए एक अभूतपूर्व कदम उठाया है। इतना ही नहीं, उस क्षेत्र में सीमावर्ती रोड्स को नया रूप प्रदान किया गया है और नये डिफेंस एयरपोर्ट स्थापित करके यह संदेश दिया है कि किसी भी स्थिति से निपटने के लिए हमारा राष्ट्र मजबूती से तैयार है।
निश्चित रूप से जैसा कि पूर्व वक्ताओं ने कहा है कि हमारे प्रोक्योरमेंट प्रोसिजर्स बहुत लंबे हुआ करते थे, इस सरकार ने उस महत्व को समझ कर उन प्रोसिजर्स को छोटा किया है और उनके पावर ऑफ डेलीगेशंस ऑथोरिटी को नीचे तक दे कर एक ऐसा निर्णय करने का प्रयास किया है, जिससे त्वरित निर्णय हो सकें और हम उन निर्णयों पर अमल कर सकें।
हमारे प्रधान मंत्री जी ने ’मेक इन इंडिया’ कॉन्सेप्ट दे कर युद्ध क्षेत्र में काम आने वाले हथियार इस भूमि पर निर्मित हों, इसके लिए डायरैक्ट इंवेस्टमेंट और टेक्नोलॉजी को हमारे यहां आकर्षित करने का प्रयास किया है। एक प्रश्न उठता है कि स्पेस सैक्टर में भारत ने पिछले दिनों बहुत बड़ा कारनामा करके 104 सेटेलाइट्स एक साथ छोड़ कर एक विश्व कीर्तिमान स्थापित किया है और विश्व गुरू के रूप में स्पेस सैक्टर में हम लोगों ने अपना स्थान निश्चित किया है। यहां यह प्रश्न उठता है कि क्या बहुत टेक्निकली ऊँचा देश होने के बावजूद भी क्या हम अपने राष्ट्र में बंदूक और गोली नहीं बना सकते हैं। मुझे लगता है कि यह पूर्ववर्ती सरकारों की इच्छा-शक्ति की कमजोरी थी या उनके मन में कोई ऐसी स्थितियां थीं, जिनकी वजह से वह करना नहीं चाहते थे, वरना इस देश के वैज्ञानिक इतने क्षमतावान है कि वे हमारी सारी रक्षा की आवश्यकताओं की पूर्ति कर सकते हैं। हमारे सैनिकों को एक बहुत बड़ी मांग ’वन रैंक वन पेंशन’ की थी, हमारे प्रधान मंत्री जी ने उसे स्वीकार करते हुए, उसकी तरफ कदम बढ़ाये हैं। उसमें कुछ निर्णय लिये गये हैं। उस दिशा में जो कुछ समस्यायें आ रही हैं, उनके लिए समितियां गठित करके एक अच्छा संदेश हमारे राष्ट्र को दिया गया है। हमारे पूर्व सैनिकों की तरफ ये बढ़े हुए कदम उनके सम्मान की दृष्टि से बहुत मजबूत कदम हैं।
भारत में आंतरिक सुरक्षा की चुनौतियों को मोटे तौर पर चार खतरों के रूप में श्रेणीबद्ध किया जा सकता है, अर्थात् जम्मू-कश्मीर में सीमा पार से आतंकवाद, पूर्वोत्तर में आतंकवाद, कुछ राज्यों में वामपंथी अनीतिवाद तथा आंतरिक इलाकों में आतंकवाद, सरकार इन खतरों से निपटने के लिए योजनाबद्ध तथा कठोर कदम उठा रही है और इसके परिणाम-स्वरूप देश में आंतरिक सुरक्षा की स्थिति पूरी तरह नियंत्रण में है। आंतरिक इलाकों में आतंकी हमलों में तथा वामपंथी अनीतिवाद के द्वारा बढ़ावा दी गई हिंसा में भारी कमी आयी है, तथापि जम्मू और कश्मीर तथा पंजाब में गतिविधियां, विशेषकर सीमा पार से आतंकी हमले, हथियारों और नशीले पदार्थों की तस्करी एक चिन्ता का विषय है।
बाहरी एवं आतंरिक सुरक्षा के संदर्भ में सभी तथ्यों को मद्देनजर रखते हुए माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने सीमाओं की चौकसी के साथ राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा की चुनौतियों को देखते हुए रक्षा बजट में 10 फीसदी का इजाफा किया गया है। पिछले वर्ष के रक्षा बजट 2.58 लाख करोड़ रुपए को बढ़ाते हुए वर्ष 2017-18 के बजट प्रावधानों में 2,74,114 करोड़ रुपए का आवंटन किया है। लम्बे समय से सेनाओं के आधुनिकीकरण की आवश्यकता को महसूस किया जाता रहा है। आतंकवाद के साथ पाकिस्तान और चीन से लगी सीमाओं की चुनौतियों को देखते हुए, बढ़े रक्षा बजट का अहम हिस्सा सेना के आधुनिकीकरण व क्षमता विस्तार में खर्च किए जाने का प्रावधान है, इसलिए बजट में एक बड़ा हिस्सा तीनों सेनाओं के आधुनिकीकरण के लिए रखा गया है, पिछले साल इस मद में 78,586 करोड़ रुपए रखे गये थे, इस बार यह राशि 86,486 करोड़ रुपए रखी गयी है।
दिनांक 03 फरवरी, 2017 के अतारांकित प्रश्न संख्या 332 के माध्यम से प्रोफेसर के.वी. थॉमस एवं श्री रवीन्द्र कुमार पाण्डेय ने रक्षा मंत्रालय से यह जानना चाहा था कि विगत तीन वर्षों और चालू वर्ष के दौरान हथियारों और गोला-बारूद की खरीद के लिए अन्य देशों के साथ भारत सरकार ने समझौतों पर हस्ताक्षर किये हैं क्या। इस प्रश्न के उत्तर में रक्षा मंत्रालय के राज्य मंत्री जी ने बताया कि रक्षा उपस्करों की पूंजीगत अधिप्राप्ति विभिन्न घरेलू एवं विदेशी विक्रेताओं से की जाती है। विगत तीन वित्तीय वर्षों और चालू वर्ष के दौरान 1,29,918.19 करोड़ रुपए के सकल मूल्य की 72 संविदाओं और समझौतों पर विदेशों से रक्षा उपस्करों की अधिप्राप्ति के लिए हस्ताक्षर किए गए हैं, जिसमें फ्रांस से 36 लड़ाकू विमानों की अधिप्राप्ति भी शामिल है। इसके अलावा 94,020.67 करोड़ रुपए के कुल मूल्य की 11 संविदाओं पर भारतीय विक्रेताओं के साथ उसी अवधि के दौरान रक्षा उपस्करों की अधिप्राप्ति के लिए हस्ताक्षर किए गए हैं। मंत्रालय का यह उत्तर प्रदर्शित करता है कि सेनाओं के आधुनिकीकरण के लिए सरकार प्रतिबद्ध है।
किसी भी राष्ट्र की सेनाओं को मजबूत करने के लिए आर्थिक संसाधनों के साथ-साथ उच्च मनोबल की महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका होती है। पिछले समय में सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक के माध्यम से हमारी सेनाओं ने अदम्य साहस एवं शौर्य का प्रदर्शन किया था। सेना के इस वीरतापूर्ण कार्य से भारत की क्षमताओं का परिचय सम्पूर्ण विश्व को प्राप्त हुआ था, परन्तु ऐसे समय में भी कुछ राजनैतिक पार्टियों के नेताओं ने सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक पर प्रश्नवाचक चिन्ह लगाकर सेनाओं के मनोबल को गिराने का दूस्साहस किया था, जिसकी मैं निंदा करता हूं और इस सदन के माध्यम से सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक की सफलता के लिए सेना की प्रशंसा करता हूं।
मैं इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ रक्षा मंत्रालय की अनुदान मांग, वर्ष 2017-18 का समर्थन करते हुए अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं।
श्री गोपाल शेट्टी (मुम्बई उत्तर) : महोदय, रक्षा विभाग की अनुदानों की मांगों वर्ष 2017-18 पर आपने मुझे बोलने का अवसर दिया है, इसके लिए मैं आपका आभारी हूं और इसका समर्थन करने के लिए खड़ा हुआ हूं। हमारे 125 करोड़ देशवासियों ने ही नहीं, बल्कि हमारे पड़ोसी दोस्त देशों के लोगों की जान-माल की रक्षा डिफेंस एस्टेब्लिशमेंट द्वारा देश के जवान करते हैं, इसके लिए हमें बहुत ही गर्व है। सरकार की तरफ से भी जवानों का ख्याल हमेशा रखा गया है, चाहे वन रैंक, वन पेंशन की बात हो या सातवें वेतन आयोग की बात हो या समय-समय पर महंगाई भत्ते में वृद्धि करके रक्षा विभाग के जवानों और अधिकारियों का हमेशा सरकार ने ख्याल रखा है। रक्षा विभाग को देश की रक्षा के लिए अत्याधुनिक हथियार खरीदने के लिए जितने भी पैसे की जरूरत होती है, सरकार पहले भी पूरा खर्चा करती थी और आने वाले दिनों में भी पूरा खर्चा करेगी, इस बारे में किसी के मन में संदेह होने की आवश्यकता नहीं है। देश की सुरक्षा के साथ किसी तरह का समझौता नहीं किया जाएगा। दुश्मन देश को मुंह तोड़ जवाब देने के लिए हमारे जवान पूरी तरह से सक्षम हैं।
महोदय, मैं अपने देश के रक्षा मंत्री रह चुके श्री मनोहर पर्रिकर जी को धन्यवाद देना चाहूंगा और अभिनंदन करना चाहूंगा। हमारा रक्षा विभाग पिछले दिनों कुछ शंकाओं में घिरा हुआ था। चाहे वह बोफोर्स घोटाला हो, हैलीकाप्टर खरीदने का घोटाला हो, ऐसे सारे विषयों पर देश के लोगों में शंका थी और डिफेंस पर प्रश्नचिह्न लगा हुआ था। जिस तरह से पर्रिकर जी ने काम करते हुए देश की गरिमा बढ़ाई, रक्षा विभाग में त्रुटियों को दूर करने का काम किया। जैसा अन्य सदस्यों ने सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक के बारे में बताया, इस बारे में मैं एक बात जोड़ना चाहता हूं। जब अमेरिका ने ओसामा बिन लादेन पर पाकिस्तान की धरती पर उतरकर अटैक किया था, तो पूरी दुनिया ने वाहवाही की थी, लेकिन हमारे देश के जवानों ने इतने शानदार ढंग से सर्जिकल स्ट्राइक की, मुझे लगता है कि ओसामा बिन लादेन पर हुए अटैक को भूलकर दुनिया हमारे देश के जवानों की वाह-वाह करनी चाहिए। हमारे देश के 125 करोड़ लोगों का सीना इस अटैक से गदगद हो गया है। जवानों के साथ-साथ इस अटैक की प्लानिंग करने वाले जो अधिकारी थे, उन्हें भी मैं धन्यवाद देना चाहूंगा। ऐसे जवानों के बलबूत पर हमारे देश के 125 करोड़ देशवासी निश्चिंत हो कर रात को सोते हैं और हमारे देश का गौरव इसी तरह से इन जवानों की वजह से बढ़ता है। रक्षा विभाग के लिए सिर्फ दुश्मन देश के साथ लड़कर ही हमारे जवान हमारी रक्षा करते हैं, केवल ऐसा ही नहीं है, बल्कि जब कभी देश में बाढ़ का संकट आए या साप्रदायिक दंगें हों, ऐसे समय में हमारे देश के जवानों ने बहुत ही कम समय में और बहुत कम जान-माल का नुकसान करते हुए देश को शांति की स्थिति में लाने का काम किया है। मैं इस वजह से मानता हूं कि हमारी डिफेंस एस्टेब्लिशमेंट चाहे वह आर्मी हो, नेवी हो या एयरफोर्स हो हमें इन सभी को आने वाले दिनों में हम जितना सक्षम करेंगे, उतना ही हमारे लिए अच्छा होगा।
सरकार की तरफ से इन विभागों की जो भी आवश्यकताएं होंगी, उन आवश्यकताओं को हमें पूरा करना पड़ेगा और इसके लिए संसद भी हमेशा मंजूरी देते आई है और आने वाले दिनों में भी रक्षा के लिए मंजूरी देते रहेगी।
20.00 hours उपाध्यक्ष जी, मैंने और मेरे से पूर्व के वक्ताओं ने देश के जवानों की स्तुति की, वे स्तुति के लायक हैं और स्तुति करना भी चाहिए। लेकिन इस सभा-गृह के माध्यम से आप सभी के ध्यान में मैं और बात लाना चाहता हूँ। डिफेंस के कुछ अधिकारियों द्वारा मनमाने ढंग से काम करके देश को लोगों को हैरान-परेशान किया जा रहा है। मुम्बई जैसे शहर में जब आदर्श बिल्डिंग घोटाला सामने आया, वाऩ 2011 में एक इल्लीगल-बोगस-फेक सर्कुलर निकालकर पाँच साल तक देश के लोगों को हैरान-परेशान किया गया। तत्कालीन रक्षा मंत्री श्री अरूण जेटली जी से हम जाकर मिले तो उन्होंने एक लाइन में कह दिया।
HON. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Hon. Members, it is 8 o’clock, now. If the House agrees, we can extend the time of the House till Mr. Shetty concludes his speech.
SOME HON. MEMBERS: Yes, Sir.
HON. DEPUTY-SPEKAER: All right. The time of the House is extended till the hon. concludes his speech.
SHRI GOPAL SHETTY: Sir, I am concluding my speech very shortly.
श्री अरूण जेटली जी ने कहा था कि यह इल्लीगल सर्कुलर है, इसको हम तुरंत ही हटा देंगे। लेकिन जैसे ही श्री अरूण जेटली जी के स्थान पर डिफेंस मिनिस्टर के रूप में श्री पर्रिकर जी आये, तो उनको यहाँ आकर सैटल होने में थोड़ा समय लग गया, उसके बाद उन्होंने डिफेंस में बहुत तेजी के साथ काम किया, लेकिन रक्षा विभाग के कुछ अधिकारियों ने इस काम को आगे बढ़ाते हुए पूरे पाँच साल का समय निकाल दिया। अंत में, 10 मीटर डिफेंस इस्टैब्लिशमेंट से छोड़कर इमारत निर्माण के काम को परमिशन देने के लिए एक सर्कुलर निकाला। मुझे दुख के साथ यह कहना पड़ रहा है कि पार्लियामेंट के माध्यम से डिफेंस मिनिस्टर द्वारा लिये गये निर्णय के अंतर्गत रक्षा सचिव द्वारा निकाले गये सर्कुलर का उनके विभाग के कमाण्डर लेवल के ऑफिसर उसका विरोध करते हैं।
मैं यहाँ पर इस भावना को रखते हुए मुम्बई महानगरपालिका के कमिश्नर के बारे में भी थोड़ा नाराजगी जताना चाहूँगा। महानगरपालिका के कमिश्नर को डिफेंस के सचिव द्वारा निकाले गये सर्कुलर को मानना चाहिए। उनसे लोअर रैंक के कोई भी अधिकारी द्वारा इस प्रकार का कोई सर्कुलर निकालर कमिश्नर को आदेश दे, तो उनको भी नहीं मानना चाहिए। लेकिन उसके बावजूद भी माना जाता है, क्योंकि लोकशाही में तो सामान्य लोगों को कोई पूछता ही नहीं है। उसके बाद लोग कोर्ट में गये। कोर्ट ने इस विषय को गंभीरता से लिया और उस सर्कुलर का उल्लेख करते हुए उसके रास्ते को क्लीयर करने का काम किया। अब यह मामला यहीं पर नहीं समाप्त होता है। मैं मानता हूँ कि देश के डिफेंस मिनिस्टर एक हैं और तीनों फोर्सेज़ चाहे आर्मी हो, नेवी हो या एयर फोर्स हो, सभी के डिफेंस सेक्रेट्री एक ही होते हैं। लेकिन डिफेंस सेक्रेट्री द्वारा निकाले गये सर्कुलर को भी इन दिनों नेवी के लोग नहीं मानते हैं। उन्होंने फिर से एक सर्कुलर निकाल कर मुम्बई शहर का पूरा काम रोककर रखा है। एक बार फिर से, इस प्रकार की विडम्बना मुम्बई शहर के लोगों के सामने आयी है। सिर्फ मुम्बई ही नहीं, बल्कि मैं मानता हूँ कि पूरे देश के लोगों को आज इस परेशानी को झेलना पड़ रहा है।
मेरे पास एक पत्र है, जो मुलुण्ड, घाटकोपर और एलबीएस रोड के लोगों से प्राप्त हुआ है। यहाँ पर एक बिल्डिंग निर्माण के कार्य के दौरान कम से कम 22 लोगों का फ्लैट बुकिंग हुआ है। उन सभी लोगों ने इसमें अपने पैसे लगाये हैं। लेकिन नेवी के अधिकारी ने जो सर्कुलर निकाला है, उसकी वजह से इन दिनों निर्माण-कार्य बंद पड़ा हुआ है। इन सारे लोगों ने श्री किरीट सोमैय्या जी से निवेदन किया और इस संबंध में आवेदन दिया, उन्होंने वह आवेदन मुझे दिया और हमने पिछले सत्र में श्री पर्रिकर जी से बात की थी, उन्होंने कहा था कि अगले सत्र में इसकी रिपोर्ट आते ही मैं इसका फैसला कर दूँगा। लेकिन देशवासियों का दुर्भाग्य है कि श्री पर्रिकर जी एक बार फिर से गोवा के मुख्यमंत्री बनकर चले गये हैं और यह काम थोड़ा और आगे बढ़ेगा, ऐसा मुझे लगता है।
मैं सम्मानीय डिफेंस मिनिस्टर श्री जेटली जी से निवेदन करूँगा कि इस विाय को गंभीरता से लेते हुए, इसका जल्दी निपटारा करें क्योंकि देश के जीडीपी में भवन-निर्माण के काम में लगे हुए लोगों का बहुत बड़ा हाथ है। इस क्षेत्र में करोड़ों लोगों को कामकाज मिलता है और नौकरी मिलती है। यदि कोई ऐसे काम को रोकने का काम करता है, तो मुझे लगता है कि यह बहुत ही गलत है।
मैं सरकार से निवेदन करूँगा कि ऐसा इल्लीगल सर्कुलर निकालकर देश के लोगों को परेशान करने का काम जो अधिकारी करते हैं, उनको गंभीरता से लिया जाए। हम डिफेंस का सम्मान करते हैं और आने वाले दिनों में हम और सम्मान करेंगे। लेकिन डिफेंस के अधिकारियों की वजह से डिफेंस इस्टैब्लिशमेंट पर एक भद्दा दाग लगता जा रहा है, यह अच्छी बात नहीं है। हम चाहेंगे कि हमारे डिफेंस के अधिकारी हों, जवान हों, वे हमारे दुश्मन देश के साथ लड़ें, अपनी पूरी ताकत लगाएं, लेकिन अपने देश के लोगों को इस प्रकार से परेशान करना कितना उचित है, इसके बारे में हमें गंभीरता से सोचना पड़ेगा।
हम डिफेंस इस्टेब्लिशमेंट्स का सम्मान करते हैं। चाहे यह सदन हो या कहीं बाहर की जगह हो, डिफेंस इस्टेब्लिशमेंट्स के बारे में किसी को नहीं बोलना चाहिए। आज स्थिति यह हो गई है कि लोगों को अपनी जान देनी पड़ रही है। लोग पाँच सालों के बाद तक बैंकों का ब्याज भर रहे हैं। उनके रहने के घर तक टूटे हुए हैं। आज उनके लिए स्थिति मरता क्या न करता जैसी है। मुझे बजट के इस अवसर पर बोलने का मौका प्राप्त हुआ है। मैंने इस सदन में लाखों नहीं, बल्कि इस देश के करोड़ों लोगों की भावनाओं को रखने का प्रयास किया है। वर्तमान वित्त और रक्षा मंत्री माननीय श्री अरुण जेटली जी यदि अपने भाषण में इसका रिप्लाई देंगे तो इससे इस देश के लोगों को एक बहुत बड़ा दिलासा मिलेगा।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं एक और माँग भी करूँगा जिसके संबंध में मैं एक चिट्ठी माननीय प्रधान मंत्री जी को भी लिखने वाला हूँ। डिफेंस के किसी लोअर रैंक ऑफिसर द्वारा ऐसा सर्कुलर निकालकर काम को रोकना, इस देश के डिफेंस मिनिस्टर, डिफेंस सेक्रेट्री और इस देश की पार्लियामेंट का अपमान है।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं आपके माध्यम से इस विषय पर एक बार फिर अपनी नाराजगी प्रकट करता हूँ। इसी के साथ मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूँ।
HON. DEPUTY SPEAKER: The House stands adjourned to meet on Friday, 17th March, 2017 at 11.00 a.m. 20.06 hours The Lok Sabha then adjourned till Eleven of the Clock on Friday, March 17, 2017/Phalguna 26, 1938 (Saka).
*ण्ड्ढ म्श्र्द अ र्ठ्ठद्धत्ड्ढड्ड ठ्ठडदृध्ड्ढ ण्ड्ढ दठ्ठर्ड्ढ दृढ ठ्ठ ग्ड्ढथ्र्डड्ढद्ध त्दड्डत्हठ्ठय्ड्ढद्म् ण्ठ्ठद्य् ण्ड्ढ र्द्वड्ढद्य्त्दृद र्ठ्ठद्म् ठ्ठहय्द्वठ्ठथ्न्र् ठ्ठत्ड्ढड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ ढथ्दृदृद्ध दृढ ण्ड्ढ Hदृद्वम्ड्ढ डन्र् ण्ठ्ठद्य् ग्ड्ढथ्र्डड्ढद्ध.
*Lठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ ठ्ठदड्ड ठ्ठद्म्दृ द्रथ्ठ्ठहड्ढड्ड त्द Lत्डद्धठ्ठद्धन्र्, च्ड्ढड्ढ ग़्दृद्म्. Lच्र् 6593/16/17.
*र्द्धड्ढठ्ठय्ड्ढड्ड ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ.
*ग़्दृद्य् द्धड्ढहदृद्धड्डड्ढड्ड.
* Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ *Eदर्थ्त्द्म्ण् य्द्धठ्ठदथ्ठ्ठय्त्दृद दृढ ण्ड्ढ म्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् दृद्धश्र्त्दठ्ठथ्न्र् ड्डड्ढथ्त्ध्ड्ढद्धड्ढड्ड त्द ख्ठ़्ठददठ्ठड्डठ्ठ.
*च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ.
* Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Eदर्थ्त्द्म्ण् य्द्धठ्ठदथ्ठ्ठय्त्दृद दृढ ण्ड्ढ म्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् दृद्धश्र्त्दठ्ठथ्न्र् ड्डड्ढथ्त्ध्ड्ढद्धड्ढड्ड त्द र्ठ्ठर्त्थ्.
* Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ *च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ.
* च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ *च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table *Eदर्थ्त्द्म्ण् य्द्धठ्ठदथ्ठ्ठय्त्दृद दृढ ण्ड्ढ म्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् दृद्धश्र्त्दठ्ठथ्न्र् ड्डड्ढथ्त्ध्ड्ढद्धड्ढड्ड त्द ग्ठ्ठथ्ठ्ठर्ठ्ठथ्र्.
*Eदर्थ्त्द्म्ण् य्द्धठ्ठदथ्ठ्ठय्त्दृद दृढ ण्ड्ढ म्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् दृद्धश्र्त्दठ्ठथ्न्र् ड्डड्ढथ्त्ध्ड्ढद्धड्ढड्ड त्द ग्ठ्ठद्धठ्ठय्ण्त्.
*च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table *च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ.
* Speech was laid on the Table *च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ *च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ *Eदर्थ्त्द्म्ण् य्द्धठ्ठदथ्ठ्ठय्त्दृद दृढ ण्ड्ढ म्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् दृद्धश्र्त्दठ्ठथ्न्र् ड्डड्ढथ्त्ध्ड्ढद्धड्ढड्ड त्द ग्ठ्ठथ्ठ्ठर्ठ्ठथ्र्.
*च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table *Eदर्थ्त्द्म्ण् य्द्धठ्ठदथ्ठ्ठय्त्दृद दृढ ण्ड्ढ म्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् दृद्धश्र्त्दठ्ठथ्न्र् ड्डड्ढथ्त्ध्ड्ढद्धड्ढड्ड त्द एम्ठ्ठर्ड्ढम्ड्ढ.
* च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table *ग़्दृद्य् द्धड्ढहदृद्धड्डड्ढड्ड.
*च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ.
*च्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् र्ठ्ठद्म् थ्ठ्ठत्ड्ड दृद ण्ड्ढ र्ठ्ठडथ्ड्ढ *ग़्दृद्य् द्धड्ढहदृद्धड्डड्ढड्ड.
*Eदर्थ्त्द्म्ण् य्द्धठ्ठदथ्ठ्ठय्त्दृद दृढ ण्ड्ढ म्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् दृद्धश्र्त्दठ्ठथ्न्र् ड्डड्ढथ्त्ध्ड्ढद्धड्ढड्ड त्द ग्ठ्ठद्धठ्ठय्ण्त्.
* Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table * Speech was laid on the Table *ग़्दृद्य् द्धड्ढहदृद्धड्डड्ढड्ड.
*ग़्दृद्य् द्धड्ढहदृद्धड्डड्ढड्ड.
*ग़्दृद्य् द्धड्ढहदृद्धड्डड्ढड्ड.
*Eदर्थ्त्द्म्ण् य्द्धठ्ठदथ्ठ्ठय्त्दृद दृढ ण्ड्ढ म्द्रड्ढड्ढहण् दृद्धश्र्त्दठ्ठथ्न्र् ड्डड्ढथ्त्ध्ड्ढद्धड्ढड्ड त्द ग्ठ्ठथ्ठ्ठथ्ठ्ठथ्र्.