Budget for defence highest in 15 years: Rajnath Singh

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/ Defence Minister Rajnath Singh thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for increasing the defence budget to Rs 4.78 lakh crore for the financial year 2021-22 and termed it as the highest ever increase in capital outlay for defence in 15 years.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday annouced an allocation of Rs 4,78,195.62 crore for the defence sector for 2021-22 as against last year’s Rs 4,71,378 crore (including Defence Pension). Excluding pensions, it is pegged at Rs 3.62 lakh crore from last year’s Rs 3.37 lakh crore.

“I specially thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister for increasing the defence budget to 4.78 lakh cr for FY21-22 which includes capital expenditure worth Rs 1.35 lakh crore. It is nearly19 percent increase in Defence capital expenditure.

This is highest ever increase in capital outlay for defence in 15 years,” Rajnath Singh said. In the 2021-22 Union Budget, Ministry of defence has been allocated Rs 4,78,195.62 crore. Excluding pensions, it is pegged at Rs 3.62 lakh crore from last year’s Rs 3.37 lakh crore.