Rs 16,000 Crore Allocated For Defence Housing

Defence minister Jaswant Singh has given the go-ahead for the allocation of Rs 16,000 crore for the construction of 3 lakh dwelling units for officers and other ranks in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force.

This is the biggest allocation ever for residential accommodation in the three services. Currently, shortfalls in accommodation are estimated at Rs 40,000 crore.

Singh's purpose, senior officials in the ministry of defence say, is twofold. Accommodation, especially for separated families -- that is, the families of those who are out in the field or in counterinsurgency operations in non-family stations -- is a serious problem. Children can't be shifted in the middle of school terms, frequently wives take up employment and moving from city to city because a soldier is posted out, is not practical.

Also, lack of appropriate accommodation for the family is the single biggest cause of tension and low morale for soldiers in the field, especially as they are taught to treat the regiment and their unit as their immediate extended family.

So, more accommodation will mean better results in the field. In addition, it will help the services spend funds in the defence budget which are frequently returned unused at the end of the financial year.