4.
SECURITY
4.1. BORDER INFRASTRUCTURE AND SHEKATKAR COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS
Why in news?
Recently, Government accepted and implemented three important recommendations of Shekatkar Committee
relating to border Infrastructure.
About recommendations
Three recommendations were related to speeding up road construction, leading to socio economic development
in border areas. They were:
• Outsourcing road construction work beyond optimal capacity of Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
Engineering Procurement Contract (EPC) mode is made mandatory for execution of all works costing more
than Rs 100 crore.
o In EPC mode, private player is paid to lay roads and it has no role in road’s ownership, toll collection or
maintenance (it is taken care of by government).
• Introduction of modern construction plants, equipment and machinery by delegating enhanced
procurement powers from Rs 7.5 crore to Rs 100 crore to BRO, for domestic and foreign procurements.
o BRO has recently inducted advanced equipment (E.g. Hot-Mix Plant, remote operated hydraulic Rock Drills
etc.) and new technology like Geo-Textiles etc.
o Field officers were given enhanced financial and administrative powers, for faster financial closure of
works.
• Land acquisition and all statutory clearances like forest and environmental clearance are made part of
approval of Detailed Project Report. Work can be awarded only after at least 90% of statutory clearances
have been obtained.
About Border Road Organisation (BRO)
Need for Border infrastructure • BRO started operations in 1960 as a
leading road construction agency under
• Imperative to National security: India’s border is vulnerable to the Ministry of Defence with primary
political instability, cultural radicalism and patronage of role of providing road connectivity in
terrorism arising from the neighbouring countries. border areas.
• Matching Neighbouring countries’ Infrastructure along the • It executes road construction and
border like that of China’s. It laid roads, railway line, and maintenance works along the Northern
communication network, including fibre optics along the and Western frontiers.
border. • BRO has also constructed roads in
• For developmental needs and well-being of people living in friendly foreign countries like Bhutan,
Myanmar, Afghanistan etc.
border areas to integrate them with hinterland, create a
positive perception of care and encourage people to stay in border areas, leading to safe and secure borders.
• Tactical and strategic mobility is impeded by lack of Infrastructure resulting in predictability of operations.
Also, a better all-weather infrastructure is needed for employment of heavy artillery and long-range vectors.
• For facilitation of legitimate trade and travel along with supervision to control smuggling, trafficking, crime,
terrorism and illegal migration can increase.
Limitation in developing border infrastructure
• Poor implementation: In 2017, CAG pointed out that of the 73 roads allotted in border areas, only 22 roads
were completed by March 2016. Similar was the case with 14 strategic railway lines.
• Lack of monitoring resulting in defective construction of roads including faulty design, poor riding conditions,
inadequate drainage facilities etc.
• Multiple authorities managing the border: India has Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Border Security Force
and Assam Rifles for border management, unlike China which has one command for its security forces
managing border, indicating cohesiveness.
• Lack of unity of command: Management becomes slightly inefficient because in some places the Ministry of
Home Affairs (MHA) is responsible and in other places the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is responsible.
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• Staff deficiency and lack of modern About Shekatakar Committee
equipments: BRO is battling staff deficiency, • It was constituted to recommend measures to enhance
lacks skilled workforce, too much combat capability and rebalance defence expenditure of
dependence on local contractors. armed forces. It submitted its report in 2016.
• Lack of adequate allocation of funds for • Key recommendations:
infrastructure, even pointed out by army. o Defence budget should be in range of 2.5 to 3% of the
GDP, keeping in mind possible future threats. (Less than
Steps taken 2% in 2019)
o Restructuring of repair echelons in Army to include
• Border Area Development Programme
base workshops, advance base workshops and
(BADP): Main objective of the BADP is to static/station workshops in field Army
meet the special developmental needs and o Closure of military farms and army postal
well-being of the people living in areas establishments in peace locations
situated near the International Boundary (IB). o Restructure civilian workforce in a manner that the
• Border Infrastructure and Management work of Military Engineering Services (MES) could be
(BIM) which includes 60 projects like partly done by departmentally employed staff and
construction of roads, schools, primary other works could be outsourced.
health centers, helipads, promotion of border ✓ Recently, Defence Minister approved a proposal
tourism etc. for the abolition of 9,304 posts in MES.
• Completion of Indo-China Border roads: Of 61 roads planned in 1st phase, 36 have been constructed.
• Expediting forest clearances: For taking up border infrastructure works, Government accorded General
approval under Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
• Creation of National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL): NHIDCL took
over several projects from BRO to address delay in execution.
• Leveraging the power of technology for mobilisation and ordinance supply chain (including equipment,
weapons) and Surveillance & communication. E.g. Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System
(CIBMS) etc.
Way forward
• Public private partnership (PPP): This will save government resources, allow best practices, innovation,
knowledge without threatening the country’s security and sovereignty.
• Better coordination within services, and between services involving armed forces, ministries and other
stakeholders responsible to provide border infrastructure services.
• In Country Collaboration: will include participation of all country stakeholders which will comprise of forces
at district borders, community policing, citizen residing in border areas etc.
• Transformation of BRO with changes in organisational structures, construction practices.
• Capacity building of defence forces to maintain own safety, minimise liability, and ensure that the forces
understand and fulfil their mission of national security.
4.2. INDIAN ARMY PROPOSES TOUR OF DUTY
Why in news? Similar schemes
Indian Army has proposed to allow common citizens to join • After the World War II, there was colour service
(7-10 years) and reserve service (8-15 years)
its ranks as officers and soldiers for a three-year short service
scheme, introduced by British Indian army.
billed as 'Tour of Duty'.
• There is precedence of this model in Israel due
About the proposal to less availability of youths for military service.
• Singapore has a mandatory National Service
• 'Tour of Duty’ (ToD) is short, voluntary internship (NS) of 2 years for every male Singaporean.
programme of three-year for youths.
• It is for youths who “do not want to make defence services their permanent vocation, but still want to
experience the thrill and adventure of military professionalism”.
• Proposal suggests several measures to incentivise this scheme like a tax-free income for three years and a
token lumpsum at the end of three years, preference in public sector jobs and post-graduate courses etc.
• However, there will be no severance packages (retirement benefits) e.g. Pension, Gratuity, Leave encashment
etc. for ToD officers.
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Benefits of ToD proposal
• ToD will help channelize the youth energy into positive utilisation of their potential. Also, rigorous military
training and habits inculcated will lead to healthy citizenry.
o Proposal also cites resurgence of nationalism and patriotism in the country.
• The cost of a three-year service per officer will be a fraction of the cost incurred on Short Service Commission
(SSC) officers. The expected significant reduction in pay and pensions could free up funds for Army’s
modernisation.
• It is also suggested as a way to address unemployment, by providing 3-year internship for youth. As
individual’s earnings is tax-free for three-year period, it helps to save and increase disposable income.
• Proposal says that nation and the corporates are likely to benefit from a trained, disciplined confident, diligent
and committed men and women who have completed the ToD. Proposal states that as per an initial survey,
certain corporates (eg, Mahindra Group) would favour individuals who have been trained by the military at
26 or 27 years of age after ToD.
Concerns about ToD proposal
• There is question on combat skills, experience and preparedness of these recruit in war, hence most likely
ToDs will be deployed in non-operational tasks.
• Short Service Commission is already in place for recruitment for short services and National Cadet Corps
(NCC) to give military experience, hence it is seen as duplication of efforts.
• From the very beginning, a ToD officer knows the end date of his service, hence his productivity might hamper
as he would remain uncertain about his future thereafter.
• It is seen as army turning into a training institute to produce great talent which would not be utilised by army
because by the time he is with full potential, it would be his time to complete three-year tenure.
• ToD officers will be experienced, disciplined, well-organized and possess leadership qualities but very few of
them would have skill sets required by open market. Corporate sector will hire strictly as per the skill set
required, so, employment after 3 years is not certain.
Way forward
• An attractive short-term scheme, which strikes a balance between the standards of training and operational
requirements of the armed forces and needs of the individual, is the most cost-effective method of managing
military budgets.
• It should be done without diluting the ethos, morals and value system of armed forces. As proposal suggests,
it should be done on trial basis with limited vacancies, to be expanded further, if found successful.
4.3. INTEGRATED BATTLE GROUPS
Why in news?
Recently, Indian Army has postponed the official launch of its new integrated battle groups (IBGs) because of the
ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
About Integrated Battle Group
• IBGs are brigade-sized, agile, self-sufficient combat formations, which can swiftly launch strikes against
adversary in case of hostilities.
o They will be able to mobilize within 12-48 hours based on the location.
o The integrated units for the border will be all-encompassing, with artillery, armoured, combat engineers
and signal units.
o Currently, during hostilities a brigade has to wait to be augmented by different types of units which
increase the time to mobilize.
• The IBGs are to perform both offensive roles, involving cross-border operations, and defensive roles to
withstand an enemy attack.
• Each IBG would be tailor-made based on Threat, Terrain and Task and resources will be allotted based on the
three Ts. They need to be light so they will be low on logistics.
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o The composition of every IBG would differ on the basis of the terrain where it is located — an IBG operating
in a desert needs to be constituted differently from one operating in the mountains.
• Each IBG will be headed by a Major General and comprise around 5,000 troops.
• IBG will help in effectively implementing the Cold Start doctrine.
o Cold Start’ doctrine of the Indian Armed Forces envisages swift deployment of troops on the western
border within days if a situation of a full-blown war arises.
o This doctrine aims to allow Indian forces to conduct sustained attacks while preventing a nuclear
retaliation from Pakistan.
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