Defense Minister Antony Calls For Transparent, Timely Defense Procurement

Defense Minister A K Antony on called for a “timely, transparent and judicious” process to procure weapons and equipment for the armed forces.

Inaugurating the biennial three-day Defense Accounts Controllers Conference here, May 12 Antony said: “Defense expenditure and procurement issues are complex and time-consuming and have a direct bearing on our national security.

“We have tried to infuse more transparency and efficiency into our procedures and systems. It is my firm belief that expenditure of public money must have an appropriate system of checks and balances.”

He said the Defense Accounts Department had facilitated procurement of essential items for the defense forces and the capital expenditure utilized last year had been an all-time record.

“But, there has to be a transparent, timely and judicious use of funds for defense expenditure. The Government has tried to infuse more transparency in the huge defense outlay, which is over Rs 15,200 for the current financial year,” he added. (PTI)

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