Indian Army headquarters re-organisation approved by Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved an array of decisions regarding the re-organisation of Army Headquarters, based on the detailed study. 

From a separate vigilance cell to an umbrella organisation to focus on Human Rights issues, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave a number of transformations brought about in the Army headquarters.

In a series of tweets, the Raksha Mantri Office listed the various decisions that have been taken forward for the Army Headquarters:

• A separate Vigilance Cell under the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) with tri-services representation. At the moment, the vigilance function for the COAS is through multiple agencies and there is no single point interface.
• An independent vigilance cell will be made functional under COAS. Accordingly, ADG (Vigilance) will be placed directly under the COAS for this purpose. It will have three Colonel-level officers (one each from Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy).
• An umbrella organisation under VCOAS for enhanced focus on human rights issues – To give high priority to the observance of human rights convention and values, it has been decided to set up a special Human Rights Section headed by ADG (Maj. Gen rank officer) directly under the VCOAS.
• It will be the nodal point to examine any Human Rights violation reports. To enhance transparency and ensure that best of investigative expertise is available to the section, a Police officer of SSP/SP rank will be taken on deputation.
• Re-location of 206 Army Officers from AHQ to Formations/Units of the Field Army - A total of 206 officers will be optimized from AHQ and these officers will be made available additionally to Formations/Units of the Field Army.

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Reforms in Army during PM Modi's first tenure

Back in March 2019, then Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had approved the first batch of reforms in the Army, which included the relocation of 229 officers from the Army headquarters, creation of a new post of deputy chief for military operations and strategic planning, and setting up new wings for vigilance and human rights issue.

Finalised after 12 independent studies, the transformative reforms in the Army are being implemented to make the 1.3 million-strong force leaner and meaner as well as to enhance its combat capabilities.

They had said the PM Modi-led first NDA government has approved merging of the separate verticals of the DCOAS (planning and strategy) and the Master General Ordnance (MGO) into one office of the DCOAS (Capability Development and Sustenance).

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"Towards the Army's capability based modernisation needs, this would synergise and coalesce all revenue and capital spending under one organisation and effectively prioritise competing requirements with an operational focus to get better value for funds allocated by the government," said a senior Army official.

(With PTI inputs)