Speaking in Lok Sabha, she emphasized that the government has learned from past mistakes, citing instances where the armed forces were left underprepared due to lack of resources.
Photo: ANI
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday defended the Health and National Security Cess Bill, stating that collecting revenue is crucial to ensure national security and defend the country.
Speaking in Lok Sabha, she emphasized that the government has learned from past mistakes, citing instances where the armed forces were left underprepared due to lack of resources.
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“Collecting revenue and ensuring that our nation is well defended is the rightful duty of every government, and that is exactly what we are doing here,” Sitharaman said.
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She also recalled how soldiers were left without boots, woollens, and food in the Himalayas, and how the Bofors scandal led to a 30-year delay in procuring artillery guns.
“We were unable to procure artillery guns for nearly 30 years after the Bofors scandal. The forces did not even have adequate ammunition,” Sitharaman said, adding that a former defence minister had stated in Parliament that he could not procure ammunition due to lack of funds.
Sitharaman highlighted the Kargil conflict, which suffered due to lack of preparedness, and cited a CAG audit report (2015) that found the Army’s ammunition reserves at crisis levels. “We do not want such a stage to ever return to India,” she said.
The Finance Minister emphasized that the government is committed to bridging the capability gap and restoring the required level of preparedness of the armed forces. The cess is aimed at raising resources for national security and health initiatives.
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