New Delhi: In its recent orders, the Ministry of Defence issued an order pertaining to allocation of work and staff between Department of Defence (DoD) and newly created Department of Military Affairs (DMA).
While the order signed by Joint secretary has clearly mentioned that any matter on defence policy has to be dealt by the DoD.
Notably, matters pertaining to ration, clothing , travelling /halting , driving and house rent allowance of the officers will remain with Department of Defence (DoD) and not with the DMA.
Irony is on the issues pertain to military officials, no service personnel has been posted in DMA so far!
Interestingly, according to the order, there were various divisions in the DoD which are dealing with different subjects and have now been transferred to DMA.
As per the order, most of the operational, administrative, revenue expenditure and personnel related work of the three services has now been shifted to DMA with DoD retaining defence policy, capital acquisition and Defence Aquisition Council under its belt.
Pertinently, Cabinet Secretariat on 30 December 2019, had already amended the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 to create Department of Military Affairs in the Ministry of Defence and the second schedule of the said rules had also been amended allocating the subjects between the Department of Defence and DMA in addition to various divisions which now will come under DMA.
Divisions of DoD which were dealing with the three services' operational and administrative matters, training, personnel policies, promotion and transfer of senior officers of three services will now be part of DMA and CAPF working under the operational control of the army, Rashtriya Rifles and Siachen related issues will also be under DMA now.
Matters pertaining to MES and Married Accommodation Plan (MAP), procurement, including bullet proof jackets, foreign trainings, aid to civil authority, movement, rations, FOL transport, repair and refit of ships, Air force infrastructure, loss and audit are some other important subjects which will fall under the purview of DMA.
Relations with countries having borders with India too will be handled by DMA.
Importantly, Secretariat of Defence Acquisition Council presently with HQIDS will be shifted to DG Acquistion Wing under DoD. It is pertinent to mention that the orders for transferring the staff for DMA which will deal with the above work was already issued earlier by Ministry of Defence.
The Department of Military Affairs (DMA) will operate with the two joint secretary level officers, 13 directors and 25 under secretaries who were earlier posted to DoD.
