Defence upgradation ::: Spl financial powers to army/air force/naval commanders increased significantly

More money power for troop chiefs as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh doubles defence purchase limits

Move will strengthen operational efficiency

Revised financial powers allow army navy and air force commanders to approve bigger urgent procurements and speed up execution of operational projects

Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday approved a two-fold increase in the amount of money field commanders can clear by themselves for defence procurements.

The move is aimed at strengthening operational efficieSpecial financial powers delegated to the commanders of the army, air force and the navy have been hiked along with a 100 per cent increase in the total ceiling provided to meet urgent operational requirements, the defence ministry said.

“The revised delegation of financial powers will facilitate procurement of more than Rs 1.25 lakh crore through the revenue route, as per current year budgetary allocations. This would further strengthen the operational efficiency of field commanders and lead to faster conclusion of contracts and execution of projects,” the defence ministry said.

The move comes at a time when large-scale procurements have been undertaken by the armed forces through emergency and regular routes.

The ministry has prioritised both emergency and regular procurement routes to quickly bridge capability gaps and accelerate self-reliance in domestic manufacturing.

“Special financial powers delegated to army/air force/naval commanders have been increased significantly along with a per cent increase in the total ceiling provided to meet urgent operational requirements,” the ministry said.  

This will strengthen operational efficiency of field commanders and lead to faster conclusion of contracts and execution of projects. 

The Ministry said, special financial powers delegated to Army, Air Force and Naval commanders have been increased significantly, along with a 100 per cent increase in the total ceiling provided to meet urgent operational requirements. 

It said, the revised delegation of financial powers, along with the revised Defence Procurement Manual notified in October last year, will give a fillip to defence procurement through expeditious decision-making. 

This will ensure timely availability of resources as per the needs of the Defence Forces.  

ends