NCP slams Centre over CAG Siachen scarcities report; Army response not considered

After a CAG report revealed insufficient procurement of crucial equipment and supplies for defense personnel, NCP leader Nawab Malik has slammed the Centre adding that if the issue is not dealt with, it might create a '1965 like situation'.

"As per the CAG report, soldiers in Siachen are facing a scarcity of clothes, shoes, groceries, etc. We feel there can not be a greater concern than this. It is the responsibility of Modi government to look after our soldiers who guard our borders and the government is ignoring the needs of the soldiers. The government should focus on catering to the needs of the soldiers than diverting their attention on other issues. If the scarcity of basic facilities for soldiers continues then it will create 1965-like situations. Is the Modi government trying to create a 1965-like situation? The situations are turning out to be like the way they were in 1965", said Malik slamming the government after the findings of the CAG report.

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The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has pulled up the Army for delays in the procurement of snow goggles, multipurpose boots and other high-altitude clothing and equipment essential for troops posted in areas such as Ladakh and Siachen.

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In a report tabled in both houses of Parliament on Monday, the CAG has also questioned the government for the “inordinate delay” in the establishment of the Indian National Defence University, which was recommended by the Kargil review committee in 1999.

Army claims 'situation improved'

Army in its defense has said that the CAG audit covers the period from 2015-16 to 2017-18 claiming that things have improved substantially with sufficient stock of clothing and equipment available for soldiers deployed in high altitude areas like Siachen where posts are located at heights ranging from 16,000 to 22,000 feet.

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The Army has also asserted that it is trying to upgrade and indigenize the specialized extreme winter clothing gear, the bulk of which is imported as of now. The cost of clothing a single soldier for the forbidding Siachen heights takes around Rs 1 Lakh.

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