Department Of Military Affairs Strengthed With Formal Financial Powers
The Ministry of Defence at South Block in New Delhi
In a landmark move in the country’s Higher Defence Management, the integration of Ministry of Defence and the Services have taken a Yet another firm step forward.
The Services Chiefs though in the highest pay grade do not have the financial powers of a Secretary to Government of India (who is in a lower pay grade). The Chief of Defence Staff, higher in protocol to the Service Chiefs, holds several appointments. One of the appointments he holds is being head of the Department of Military Affairs in the MoD, with full financial and administrative powers of a Secretary to Government of India.
However various military officers who began to be appointed within the DMA, till date had not been given any formal financial and administrative authority till now. This was resulting a big slow down in the decision making, as all files had to be cleared by the CDS himself. This also meant CDS not being able to give time to his other important duties of Chairman Chief of Staff Committee, Chief Of IDS, Chief Military Advisor to the Raksha Mantri, PM and the Cabinet Committee Security etc etc.
Now a lower level of uniformed personnel from the Army, Air Force and Navy have been for the first time formally appointed as additional secretary and joint secretaries in the Ministry of Defence.
In a order issued on Monday, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, formally appointed Lt Gen. Anil Puri as the Additional Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs (DMA). Though it should be kept in mind that in the Warrant of precedence a Lt General( Corps Commander level) is above a Additional Secretary.
Maj. Gen. K. Narayanan, Rear Admiral Kapil Mohan Dhir and Air Vice Marshal Hardeep Bains have been appointed as joint secretaries in the DMA, which began functioning in January 2020 as part of the defence reforms introduced by the government.
While Lt Gebwral Puri was already officiating as additional secretary and the other three officers as joint secretaries, the formal appointment opens up decision-making powers and streamlines the functions.
“Till now, without official notification, all files had to be moved to Secretary, DMA for decisions. This is no longer needed because each appointment can now dispose of files as per powers delegated. The ACC approval was in the pipeline and it has finally come. This makes the process much smoother and formalised in a bureaucratic set-up.”
The DMA looks after all procurement exclusive to the three services — barring capital acquisitions, according to prevalent rules and procedures, besides the Territorial Army and various functions relating to the Services — its mandate includes promoting ‘jointness’ in procurement, training and staffing for the services through joint planning and integration of their requirements.
It is also responsible for facilitation of restructuring of military commands for optimal utilisation of resources by bringing about jointness in operations, including through establishment of joint/theatre commands besides promoting use of indigenous equipment by the services.
Now as a next step the following are also required :
- Appointment of a four star Vice Chief of Defence Staff whose HQ will be the HQ IDS.He will also be responsible to the CDS for the tri Service A& N Command, Strategic Forces Command, Special Purposes Division, Defence Space Agency, Defence Cyber Agency and the proposed Air Defence Command. He will also be a member of the Chief Of Staff Committee.
- Appointment of Colonel and Lt Colonels as Directors and Joint Directors in the DMA and also in the DoD
- Devolution of full financial powers to PSOs for activities of Standing nature already approved by DMA/ DoD.
