By IANS,
New Delhi : Four years into India’s 11th five-year plan, the defence ministry’s proposals are still stuck in bureaucratic red tape and hence it has given up hope of getting them approved by the cabinet committee on security (CCS), a parliamentary committee has been informed.
In the committee’s report on budgetary demands for grants for 2011-12 submitted to Lok Sabha Wednesday, the defence ministry has told the committee that differences with the finance ministry on its plan size had led to it not being finalised yet.
The defence ministry had finalised its 11th defence plan for 2007-12 and sent it to the finance ministry in July 2006. It was expected that once the finance ministry and the defence ministry mutually agree to the plan size, it would be brought before the CCS.
“However, the same could not be finalised due to difference of opinion between the defence ministry and the finance ministry on the plan size,” the defence ministry’s written reply to the parliamentary committee on the status of its 11th plan and the impact of its non-finalisation.
“It was therefore decided to not pursue the matter further,” the defence ministry said.
It also noted that its budget projections for 2011-12, the last year of the 11th five-year plan, was made by the defence ministry on the basis of projections from the armed forces and departments of the ministry.
“Meanwhile, capital acquisitions are being made as per the annual acquisition plans of the services, which are based on the defence plan, subject to availability of budgetary allocations,” it said.
“Practically, there has been no impact on the process of modernisation in the absence of CCS/finance ministry approved 11th plan. The services have been provided with funds for their needs,” the ministry added.
The government has allocated Rs.1,64,415 crore for defence in 2011-12 fiscal, of which Rs.69,198 crore is for capital expenditure and the rest Rs.95,217 crore for revenue expenditure.