Army Headquarters to be Re-organised

Army Headquarters to be re-organised. (Source: File Image)

Betterment is the word in our defence establishment. A lot of changes are being done in the Army headquarters which are a hint to the betterment being ushered in. A separate vigilance cell under Chief of Army Staff (COAS) will be formed which will be representing the three services. Sources say that the re-organisation efforts have got an okay from Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Currently, various agencies are doing the vigilance function for COAS. But soon, interface. An independent vigilance cell will be made functional under COAS.

Accordingly, ADG (Vigilance) will be placed directly under the COAS for this purpose. It will have three Colonel-level officers (one each from the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy). This will be done within the existing posts at Army Headquarters. There will be another umbrella organisation under Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) to give priority to the observance of human rights. Sources from Defence Ministry say umbrella organisation will function under the leadership of ADG, who will be an officer of the rank of Major General and will be directly under the supervisor of VCOAS.

It will be the nodal point to examine any human rights violation reports. To enhance transparency and ensure the best of investigative expertise is available to the section, a police officer of Senior Superintendent of Police or Superintendent of Police rank will be taken on deputation. The next measure to be taken up as a part of re-organisation would be the relocation of 206 army officers from the headquarters to units in the field. Sources from the Defence Ministry said, 206 officers comprise, three officers of Major General rank, eight officers of Brigadier rank, nine officers of Colonel rank and 186 officers of Lieutenant Colonel and Major rank.