Army gets Rs 10,000 cr for infrastructure development in North-East

[MINK]

Army gets Rs 10,000 cr for infrastructure development in North-East

SHILLONG, Sept 24 – The race to catch up with China has heated up with New Delhi allocating Rs 10,000 crore to the Military Engineering Services (MES) alone, for infrastructure development in the North East for the next five years.
Engineers from the Defence forces now are assigned with this responsibility to develop the underdeveloped infrastructure in remote areas of the North East, especially in Arunachal Pradesh sharing a contentious border with China.

“We have been allotted Rs 9,000 crore only to develop infrastructure in the North East, besides the Rs 1,000 crore that we receive annually,” Lt Gen VK Narula, GOC of 101 Army headquarters responsible for logistic support, said, during a national seminar here.

He said the North East presents great challenge to engineers with its diverse terrain, geology and unavailability of skilled manpower. “The diversity of the region is a challenge for engineers. Therefore, no readymade solutions, but site-specific solutions are required for the region’s development,” Lt Gen Narula observed.

The Indian Defence forces has repeatedly urged policy-makers in New Delhi to speed up infrastructure development in areas of vulnerability along the Indo-China border. Numerous projects have been taken up in Arunachal Pradesh therefore in the past few years.

China on its part has not only developed the roads from some of its major cities and towns, but is in the process of developing a railway network right up to the borders of Arunachal Pradesh.

Similar proposal are being formulated by China to link Lhasa in Tibet to its frontier towns and cities along Nepal, Sikkim and Myanmar thus running parallel railway lines along the Indian border.

India belatedly has sanctioned the construction of some advanced helipads in Arunachal Pradesh and there are proposals to link Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh through rail networks.

Despite Defence officials often stating that it was not in a race to beat anybody, Brigadier RN Mittal, said, when it comes to infrastructure development, India always looks up to China for comparison. He urged engineers to come up with innovative ideas to structure the development of the region.

The Assam Tribune Online

 

[MrIndianSikh]

the army reserve units a majority of them need to be put in the NE we should put at least 300,000 troops in the NE and have another several hundred thousand based in east Ladakh for maximum deterrence and btw we should also build missile bases in Meghalaya

 

[angeldemon_007]

I hope this money is not coming out of defence budget because infrastructure development is not army's job. I hope now environment ministry also let army for developing that alternative all whether road link to Arunachal which they are opposing.

India belatedly has sanctioned the construction of some advanced helipads in Arunachal Pradesh and there are proposals to link Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh through rail networks.

But where are the helicopters ? Right now around 117 Mi17 alongwith some 75 Dhruvs (IA+IAF) are used to transport a force which is one one of the biggest armed forces in the world. I mean are they blind ? Do they not see the requirements of a large number of transport choppers. We are building so many advanced landing ground but we have not more than 200 transport choppers which by the way are distributed around the whole country.
I read somewhere about the requirement of around 300-400 IMRH but i think it will be delayed and IA should be given permission to purchase a couple hundred transport choppers to ensure proper security in the NE region. We can purchase those 400 IMRH later when they are ready. Indian armed forces should have atleast 1000 transport choppers, a 300-400 LUH, a couple hundred LCH and 50-60 heavy attack choppers. The number should be something around 1500-2000 choppers.

 

[sandilanaresh]

The Military Engineering Services are most corrupt deprtment in the country just like PWD both are twin brothers in terms of corruption most part of the money will go to the pockets of corrupt army officials and contractors

 

[OrionHunter]

Do you know the reason why we have woken up so late in the day to develop infrastructure in the North East? A$$holes in the Defence ministry contend that such infrastructure if developed could be made use of by the Chinese in the event of a conflict!!!! Oooops! How lame can that get?

Now, if we are saddled with a bunch of bozos at the helm with not a clue about operations and how they are conducted, what do you expect? It's because of these clueless babus that we are where we are - a million miles behind China in the North East. Jeeez!

 

[brational]

Bringing MES in NE is due to incompetent BRO. Hope the Military will take up building critical infra along the borders.

 

[jha]

Plan to raise Mountain Corps for Eastern Sector was shot down due to lack of funds..
I guess we need a disaster for things to move on..

 

[Lord Of Gondor]

Plan to raise Mountain Corps for Eastern Sector was shot back due to lack of funds..
I guess we need a disaster for things to move on..

I thought that the Division was already raised(15K*2) and they were to be equipped with the "yet to come" M777(with the option for the OMFG excalibur rounds)
And that the Chinook/Mi26T2 were to help 'em!!

 

[zzebie]

The Military Engineering Services are most corrupt deprtment in the country just like PWD both are twin brothers in terms of corruption most part of the money will go to the pockets of corrupt army officials and contractors

I am sorry but i object to such blanket statements. I have acquaintances with quite a few people from this department and i can assure you, just like any other organization, there are good and bad apples. I have first hand knowledge of some fine projects implemented by this department. There are civilian officials as well as defense personnel deputed on a regular basis. During calamities like the tsunami, not only did they assist evacuations in the Andaman island, they also got the infrastructure up and running as well.

 

[jha]

I thought that the Division was already raised(15K*2) and they were to be equipped with the "yet to come" M777(with the option for the OMFG excalibur rounds)
And that the Chinook/Mi26T2 were to help 'em!!

Its not that easy in India..2 strike corps were to be raised..
Plans are there to have a separate air arm for IA since '87. The no. of helicopters to be inducted will be enough . But it will hurt IAF's ego, so it has not materialized till now..

 

[RoYaL~GuJJaR]

Incompetent leaders....

 

[OrionHunter]

I thought that the Division was already raised(15K*2) and they were to be equipped with the "yet to come" M777(with the option for the OMFG excalibur rounds)
And that the Chinook/Mi26T2 were to help 'em!!

Yep! Two Mountain divisions are in the process of being raised. However, approval for the Strike Corps and two additional independent brigades has been stalled somewhat.

Despite the PM's assurance, the MoD has now raised questions about the Army's assessment of Rs 12,000 crore needed to set up the new formations, and sent back the file to Army headquarters. The concern is about the high capital expenditure projected by Army headquarters.

Now we'll probably have to wait for a decade more till our worthy babus decide!

 

[Abingdonboy]

This is $10 BN USD? does this include cost of raising IA mountain divisions?

 

[WHITESMOKE]

This is $10 BN USD? does this include cost of raising IA mountain divisions?

$1bn= 4800 cr approx. So its about $2.2 bn approx

 

[Tshering22]

About time they did that. We're tired of using longer and inconvenient methods to be connected to the rest of the country though flights like IndiGo and others have made travel much more comfortable. Wish we could have something like Tibetan high speed railway to connect entire NE with rest of the country through Siliguri Corridor. That would make trade much more smoother.

This is just a personal opinion but I think during independence, we bargained a little too less on the eastern front. If Nehru were a true son of this soil, he'd have ensured that Siliguri corridor was a bit more thicker than what it is today.

---------- Post added at 11:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:47 PM ----------

Plan to raise Mountain Corps for Eastern Sector was shot down due to lack of funds..
I guess we need a disaster for things to move on..

Not really. It was shot down because IAF and Army were at an ego-war with each other. Lack of funds? Do you seriously think that central government is not rich enough? Mate, India is one of the richest countries in the world if it comes to government's funds. There was NEVER any shortage of funds. It was simply a coverup that was used to hide away the scoundrels who ate away the allocated money and stupid top brass fighting for ego as to who gets to command Eastern sector in MOD.