Congress calls CAG report 'disturbing'

The Indian Army faces a shortfall of 40 per cent types of ammunition to fight a 10-day long war.

Expressing serious concerns over the Comptroller and Auditor General report on ammunition stock, the Congress on Saturday said there is no room for such shortages when the country has nuclear-powered neighbours.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Congress leader Anand Sharma said the BJP-led Centre was taking defence matters lightly.

"The CAG report is disturbing. There is tension on both the borders. There has been heavy artillery firing for a long period of time. If the country is not prepared or under prepared and the requirements of ammunition and spares have not been met for three years then this government is definitely in the dock. The Prime Minister and his government have to answer," Sharma told ANI.

The Indian Army faces a shortfall of 40 per cent types of ammunition to fight a 10-day long war. The compliance report of the Comptroller and Auditor General made a mention about the same and placed its findings before the Parliament on Friday.

The report said that stockholding of ammunition which is less than that needed for 10 days of warfighting is considered 'critical' and an area of high concern. As of March 2013, 50% of types of ammunition (85 out of 170 types) available was for less than 10 days of warfighting. The CAG report further pointed out that as of September 2016, 40%, i.e., 61 out of total 152 types of ammunition was still in critical level. There is a deficiency of 83% in the stock of fuzes for the artillery ammunition.

OneIndia News