Friday, June 6, 2025
spot_img

Why defence funding is falling despite rising security threats, asks Kharge

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

New Delhi, March 15:  The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Tuesday sought an answer from the Centre as to why defence funding is falling despite rising national security threats, including from China.

Sharing a reply to a parliamentary question by the Defence Ministry on Twitter, Kharge said, “Defence expenditure as a percentage of Central government expenditure has fallen from 17.7 per cent to 13.3 per cent in the last five years. Does the government have an answer as to why defence funding is falling while national security threats, including from China, are increasing?”

As per the reply to Kharge’s question, budget estimate 2022-23 has earmarked Rs 5,25,166 crore for defence expenditure, while Central Government Expenditure (CGE) is Rs 39,44,909 crore, which is 13.31 per cent of CGE.

In the revised estimate (RE) for 2021-22, 13.34 per cent of CGE is allocated for defence expenditure. Rs 5,02,884 crore is allocated for defence expenditure against the CGE of Rs 37,70,000 crore in 2021-22 RE.

In 2017-18 (actual), defence expenditure was 17.73 per cent of CGE, and in 2018-19 it was 17.43 per cent. The defence expenditure of CGE had further fallen to 16.86 per cent in 2019-20 and to 13.84 per cent in 2020-21.

In 2017-18, the CGE was Rs 21,41,973 crore and defence expenditure was Rs 3,79,702 crore, while in 2018-19 the CGE was Rs 23,15,113 crore and defence expenditure was 4,03,457 crore.

In 2019-20, the defence expenditure was Rs 4,52,996 crore and CGE was Rs 26,86,330 crore. In 2020-21, defence expenditure was Rs 4,85,681 crore and CGE was Rs 35,09,836 crore.

IANS
spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

Early periods, later menopause linked to slower brain ageing in women

New Delhi, June 6: Women with early onset of periods, and later menopause -- which means a longer...

India focused on development not interested in war, Pak wants to interrupt: Tharoor 

Washington, Jue 6: India is not interested in war or conflicts but is focused on growth and development,...

Sensex welcomes RBI’s jumbo 50 bps rate cut, surges over 500 points

Mumbai, June 6: The Indian benchmark indices surged on Friday after the RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra announced a...

4th India-Central Asia Dialogue begins in New Delhi; EAM Jaishankar receives his counterparts

New Delhi, June 6: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Friday welcomed the Foreign Ministers of Kazakhstan,...