Par panel slams govt for not keeping pace with China in border

A Parliamentary panel today slammed the government for the "slow pace" in matching China in border infrastructure and rejected Defence Ministry's claim that development there was as per India's threat perception.

The Standing Committee on Defence also came down heavily on the Defence Ministry for failing to give a "direct" response to it on "pin pointed" query regarding difficulties faced by India due to poor network of road, rail, and airports and helipads.

The report said the threats perceived by India are not only due to conventional and modern threats but is also due to "slow pace in keeping herself abreast of the technological and infrastructural advancement in comparison to our territorial neighbours, especially China..."

The report dealt with threat perception and preparedness of the forces including incursion on borders, coordination mechanism with the central armed police forces and border connectivity through road, rail and air.

The report tabled in Parliament said substantial improvement and achieving stipulated targets within a time frame and avoiding cost escalations were required with regard to borders.

It also flagged the issue of non-demarcation of Line of Actual Control, limited rail, road and air connectivity, ambivalent claims in defence production, inadequate delivery in research and development and oversight mechanism on the part of administrative departments.

"It is shocking to note that only one road out of 27 ITBP roads is complete and as many as 11 roads are behind schedule and not even the detailed project reports (DPRs) have been finalised," the report said.