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Lethal force: Government clears plan to recast Army HQ (IANS Special, with infographic)
By Gautam Datt
New Delhi, March 7 (IANS) Nearly 20 per cent of the officers posted in the Army headquarters will be shifted to field areas as the government has approved all the recommendations of a panel formed last year to reorganize the nerve centre of the force to make it more agile, lethal and network-oriented to face future wars.
The exercise will immediately make 229 officers of various ranks posted in army headquarters available for field formations. The Army headquarter will have a new deputy chief of army staff (strategy).
The officer will have the most significant positioning as he will handle all operational and force planning issues with military operations, military intelligence, strategic planning and operational loigstics branches reporting to him.
A newly created Information Warfare (IW) branch headed by a lieutenant general to deal with hybrid warfare and social media challenges will also report to deputy chief (strategy).
This will be the third deputy chief in the Army headquarters which at the moment as deputy chief (planning and system) and deputy chief (information system and training).
In other significant change accepted by the MoD is the merging of deputy chief (P&S) and Master General Ordnance (MGO) into a single entity to be called deputy chief (capability development and sustenance). The office will handle the Army budget.
All the Army acquisitions will be handled by a new office under Director General (capability development) which has been formed by merging the office of deputy chief (P&S) and Director General (weapons and equipment). The revenue budget will be handled by DG (Sustenance).
Army’s training command in Shimla will now be sole adviser to the Army Chief on all the matters related to training.
Two new dedicated branches to deal with transparency and probity have been added to be headed by major generals dealing with vigilance and human rights.
The Army HQ reorganization study was commissioned by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has accepted all the recommendations.
(For graphic)
Preparing army for the future war, the force’s headquarters is being made more agile, lethal and network-oriended
Here is how will the new Army HQ look like:
* 229 officers will move out to field formations (around 20% of the current officer strength in AHQ)
* A new Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) will be appointed. The officer will handle all operational and force planning issues.
* Military Operations, Military Intelligence, Strategic Planning and Operational Logistics wings will report to him. He will also handle Information Warfare to deal with hybrid wars and social media reality
* A Director General will head Information Warfare (IW) wing
* Offices of deputy chief of army staff (planning and system) and Master Guard Ordnance (MGO) to be merged into one office of Capability Development and Sustenance
* Director general (capability development) to deal with acquisitions
* Director general (sustenance) to deal with expenditure
* Army commander of training command ARTRAC to be single point adviser to the Army Chief on all training issues
* A major general to head vigilance department and other human rights as part of the move to bring transparency and probity
(Gautam Datt can be contacted at [email protected])
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.