In a significant move to ensure a “leaner and fitter” Army to fight modern day war, the Defence Ministry has approved restructuring of the Army Headquarters based in the national Capital.
The refashioning will free up officers for serving active stints in field and operational formations. The ultimate objective of the revamping is to reduce 1.5 lakh posts over the years and save Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 crores in revenue expenditure.
The decision to restructure the Army Headquarters by doing away with some posts by relocating officers in the field and merging some departments for better co-ordination came after the force submitted an in house study conducted last year to the Defence Ministry.
At least 30 per cent of the officers now serving in the Army Headquarters will now be available for field duties in order to maintain operational readiness, sources said here on Thursday.
There are about 1,000 to 1,200 officers now posted in the Headquarters in various departments.
A new post of Major General reporting to the Army Chief is also on the anvil to ensure probity and transparency in the Army. Moreover, a new post is likely to b created to look after human rights aspects since the Army is engaged in anti-terrorist and anti-insurgency operations for long in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-east, they said.
As regards merging of departments, they said two weapons and systems procurement agencies were amalgamated. A new post of Deputy Chief will coordinate with military intelligence, operations and logistics wings, was also cleared, they said.
The new Deputy Chief will supervise strategy and operations, intelligence collation, conduct of operations and the movement of logistics.