New Delhi: With major acquisitions like 126
fighter aircraft deal and modernisation in the pipeline, the
Defence Ministry was on Friday allocated Rs 1,93,407 crore in the
General Budget for 2012-13, marking a 13.15 per cent increase.
The Ministry had got Rs 1,64,415 crore in the last year`s
budget and the revised estimates for the fiscal 2011-12 was Rs
1,70,937 crore.
The allocation is 13.15 per cent more than the revised
estimates and 17.63 per cent more than the budgetary estimates
of financial year 2011-12.
The allocation is about 1.9 per cent of the GDP.
Tabling the Budget in Parliament, Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee said the allocation is based on the present needs
and any further requirement for the security of the nation
would be provided.
Reacting to the allocation, Defence Minister AK Antony
said he was expecting more but had no complaints as the
Finance Minister had promised to meet any requirement.
"In the present global situation, he (Mukherjee) has
tried his best to present a good budget. On the defence side,
even though we were expecting more, I am happy because he has
promised whatever is needed for in future he will commit,"
Antony told reporters.
The armed forces are going through modernistion process
and a number of major acquisitions are lined up.
There was no specific mention to multi-billlion dollar
126 combat aircraft deal for IAF which is expected to be
clinched this year but the budgetary support is likely to meet
those requirements.
In the Budget of 2011-12, the allocation marked 8.47
per cent increase over the previous financial year.
PTI
