Hyderabad, July 23 (UNI): Congress MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has accused the BJP Government at the Centre of jeopardizing national security by not filling up the vacancies in the armed forces and also by reducing the annual intake.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Saturday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that there was a huge shortage of manpower in all three forces – the Indian Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force. Instead of filling up all vacancies, he said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has reduced the annual intake by almost 25%.
Referring to written replies given by the Ministry of Defence on his question in Lok Sabha on Saturday and another question raised by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on 18th July, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Central Government has admitted to the huge shortage of personnel in all the three armed forces.
In his reply, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt informed that as of January 1, 2022, the total sanctioned strength of commissioned officers and other ranks of the Indian Army are: Officers – 56,972; Nursing Officers – 4,396 and JCOs/ OR – 12,41,768. Similarly, the total strength of officers (excluding medical and dental) and sailors in the Indian Navy as on 31st May 2022 are Officers (excluding medical and dental) – 11821 and Sailors – 75,866. Likewise, the sanctioned strength of the Indian Air Force are: Officers (excluding medical and dental) – 12745 and Airmen/Non Combatants (E) 1,56,362.
Replying to Uttam Kumar Reddy’s question on whether there was an exercise underway in the Ministry to reduce the sanctioned strength of commissioned officers and other ranks in the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy, the Union Minister replied that the review of manpower by the three Defence Services was an ongoing process, based on changing organizational requirements, as also technological advancements with an aim to enhance ‘Teeth-to-Tail’ ratio.
