2/3rd cut in flats for troops over budget
Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 5
Paucity of budget has forced the Indian Army to slash the number of residential flats it plans to construct for troops and their families. The married accommodation project (MAP), being carried out in multiple phases, is aimed at providing housing to troops near urban areas to allow better schooling for children and improved quality of life.
The Ministry of Defence has informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence that a total of 71,102 flats are planned under MAP Phase-III. “Keeping in view the budgetary priorities, the Army Headquarters have conveyed their decision to restrict the planning for MAP Phase-III to 24,592 flats,” the committee stated.
While 57,875 flats were built in the first phase of MAP, 69,904 were to be built in the second phase by 2021.
The MAP has an overall deficit of 1,85,256 flats, of which there is a shortfall of 1,48,227 flats in the Army. The satisfaction level — or the number of people who get accommodation — is around 66% in the Army.
The Navy has 24,629 flats with a deficit of 6,623 and satisfaction level of 79%. The Indian Air Force has 45,369 flats with 30,406 deficit and satisfaction level of 60%.
The committee report, which was made public in the last week of December, says the Army is a manpower-intensive organisation and faces a huge shortage of married accommodation.
Keeping in view the low level of satisfaction of the services in general and Army in particular, the committee has said in no uncertain terms that the Ministry of Defence should accord top priority to timely and effective building of flats.
It asks the MoD to complete the consultation process with the Ministry of Finance at the earliest and provide adequate budgetary allocation. “The developments in this regard be intimated to the committee,” the report says.
The Directorate General of Married Accommodation Project (DG MAP) is tasked with making these flats for the three Services.
Box
Flats under MAP-III
Planned Revised
71,102 24,592
Housing deficit in forces
Service Shortfall Possession %age
Army 1,48,227 66%
IAF 30,406 60%
Navy 6,623 79%
