OROP: Ministers blow Rs 680 crore hole in the austerity plan

No money for "One Rank One Pension" for the Military- Critical Finances: Click here
Twelve-fold blow to UPA government's austerity plan as globe trotting ministers blow Rs 678 crore of taxpayers' money
By MAIL TODAY REPORTER
PUBLISHED: 21:19 GMT, 26 September 2012 | UPDATED: 22:23 GMT, 26 September 2012
The testing economic situation may be the time for austerity but try telling that to the UPA government's globe trotting ministers.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his ministers have blown Rs 678 crore of taxpayers' money on their travel in 2011-12 - which is more than 12 times spent during 2010-11, when it was Rs 56.1 crore, an RTI application filed by Delhi-based activist Subhash Chandra Agrawal has revealed.
The PM himself has been criss-crossing the globe in the past two years. Multi-lateral and bilateral visits have taken him from Moscow, the Maldives, and Afghanistan to New York, Bali and Cannes.
His South Block cabinet colleague - external affairs minister S.M. Krishna - also clocked up the air miles with 28 foreign trips - From New York, Islamabad, Beijing, Bali, Singapore and Australia to Israel and Palestine.
'The tours are for official purposes. At the age of 80, it should be appreciated that senior ministers can travel so much. These are not pleasure trips,' a South Block official said.
The reason for the quantum jump in expenditure is also because the ministers flew in chartered aircraft many times - for instance the Indian Air Force Embraer or the Air India airbus hired by the external affairs ministry for Krishna's visit to Pakistan.
Commerce minister Anand Sharma has logged eight visits to Switzerland, South Africa, Pakistan and France.
His senior colleague, defence minister A.K. Antony, logged six foreign tours during the last two years.
While former finance minister Pranab Mukherjee also travelled to six overseas destinations (including the US, Nepal, Vietnam and France), tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahai travelled to five destinations. The UPA allies are breathing fire. 'The ministers take family members and hangers-on at the taxpayers' expene. The government must give an account of this in Parliament,' Rajendra Chaudhary, SP spokesperson, said.
The Opposition, too, has rapped the government. While some of these trips can be justified because of official reasons, the government must introspect on the rising cost of these official tours.
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Twelve-fold blow to UPA government's austerity plan as globe trotting ministers blow Rs 678 crore of taxpayers' money

Ageing Indian Army: Anti- Insurgency/ Counter- Terrorism or a Combat Force?

The Asian Age Home » Opinion » Interview of the Week
‘In terms of manpower, the Indian Army is ageing’
This is a good interview. I endorse Gen Malik's views on most issues.
1. Defence Services must have greater voice in forming National Strategic policies. Not to be left to Group of Ministers, mostly.
2. Having a CDS is a must.
3. Our organisations and concepts of large scale operations in mountains are old. The Army in the mountains in particular has to become LEANER AND MEANER. Much greater integral heli lift is essential as also armed hepter resources.
4. Indian Army has got tired of operating in counter insurgency operations in J&K and in the East. How long can a unit remain in such areas, year after year. Pakistan has really bled us for the last 64 years. These guys have nothing to eat and spend and an individual can be hired to do Jehad for paltry sums. Our passive attitude has not served us well. The only way is to have a TIT for TAT policy. We have to ignite the flame in Balochistan and let the Pak Army bleed there. The British and the Americans would also be interested to boil up things in Balochistan. Pak Army only understands a strong response.
Veteran Harbhajan Singh
Lt Gen

Interview of the Week with General VP Malik Jan 15, 2012
On the occasion of Army Day, former Army Chief Gen. V.P. Malik says that the current method of civilian control over the military leaves much to be desired. He also tells Sridhar Kumaraswami that grouping all strike corps under a strategic command is not a good idea.
In what ways can a career in the Army be made more attractive? Does this require more cash incentives or just better parity with the civilian services?
Three requirements, in order of priority:

improved promotion prospects with a golden handshake early-retirement policy

improved civil-military services parity

greater respect for soldiers and ex-servicemen from the government and society. We need to revisit terms and conditions of service that were framed in a different socio-economic milieu many years ago.
click here for the full interview

Government sets up GoM on energy

References
Energy Security = Energy + Security: Pragmatic Euphony
Govt sets up GoM on energy: Indian Express

It seems that those who call such meetings ie PMO do not understand the role of various actors in different facets of National security.
The big problem in India is that the MOD is secluded from Foreign relations. The External Affairs Ministry comprising of bureaucrats of the similar genre as the IAS feel that they are the only ones who know every thing about diplomacy and external relations of India. The reality is far from it and one can see how they have created an image of a weak India who runs to Western countries for a motherly hug when our neighbours inflict wounds on us.
Energy Security has definite and crucial connotations of seaward defence, Air defence, Army's deployment and Homeland defence.
Even the name of the Home Minister is missing!! I suppose HE IS THERE.
Lt Gen Harbhajan Singh (Retd)
Former Signal Officer in Chief