A half-baked analysis of India's defence spending, by The Economic Times

My dear Economic Times (ET)

"Defence spending slips when NDA is in power, Rs 11,595 crore unspent " Screams your article ( below). Also, goes on to add, in the article, that " This utilisation pattern is not unique to this BJP government. In the past too, utilisation rates have been dismal - hovering around 90%when the NDA was last in power. "

Dismal??? Oh come, on, give me a break, ET!! Pray, explain to me, why is this non-spending of 10000 crore considered "dismal"??

While I understand that babus are used to blowing up all the money allocated in a financial year, just because the budget has been allocated, whether the need is genuine or not, can you argue that spending 100% of the budget, and not saving on it, is always the ideal thing to do? And why should NDA blindly follow the Congoons in this?

Yes, I acknowledge that the defence forces are in dire need of modernization and funds infusion, and returning unused money on the face of it looks silly. But why dont you peel the onion, and see where the money has been returned from, without spending? Where are the details of that? And without stating the details, how can you conclude that returning money= "dismal"?

It is quite possible that the money may have been returned, due to various factors:

1. Delay in finalizing orders for specific equipment or project, for which this may have been earmarked. Yes, technically, the money can be diverted, but then going back the next year to get funds for the same becomes an issue. People working in South Block can vouch for this.

2. Import substitution may have resulted in saving money.

3. Better negotiation, lesser corruption may have resulted in lower costs.

4. Or simply, a more consolidated approach to purchasing may have resulted in a management decision to wait for collective bargaining.

My dear ET, Without going into details of any of this, how can you blindly conclude / indict the NDA government? Are you trying to use this as yet another "economic" ploy to berate Modi?

If you really want to do a comparison of budget vs actuals, break both down, find out the key areas where the money was originally meant to be spent, and point out specifically which areas amongst those "key defence priorities" that were left unspent, resulting in possible security threat for the nation, and I will accept it. Note that " key defence priority spend" will not include things like liquor for the army canteen wink emoticon

I would rather wait for defence analysts or the CAG to point out specific lacunas in our defence engine that has resulted in returning this money unspent, rather than trying to gather from your half-baked analysis, ET!

Goaded by the Congoons, I know you are keen to berate Modi, and show him in poor light, at every possible turn, but , in this instance, you are cutting a sorry figure. You are trying to tell the country " if you continue to elect BJP, they will fail to protect you and the country, but ignoring Defence. So , vote Pappu and his Congoons back to power ASAP, so that the Quattrochis of the world can be happy, and the Swiss Banks can be happier".

Stop pulling the country down! If you are eager to malign Modi, then better luck next time!

 http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/defence-spending-slips-when-nda-is-in-power-rs-11595-crore-unspent/articleshow/51216838.cms