Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence (MoD) launched several digital initiatives of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) during its 275th Annual Day celebrations in New Delhi, Delhi.
The Distribution of Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence 2022:
MoD Rajnath Singh gave away the Raksha Mantri Awards for Excellence 2022 to 3 teams for exhibiting exemplary initiative in implementing key department projects:
- Development, testing and implementation of System for Pension Administration (RAKSHA) (SPARSH) which is meeting the pension sanction and disbursement requirements for Armed Forces;
- Implementation of E-Concurrence in DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation);
- Pay and Accounts Office (PAO) Bharati: Your PAO, A call away 24/7.
Digital Initiatives of DAD:
- The System for Pension Administration (Raksha) (SPARSH) mobile app,
- Pay System for Agniveers,
- International Air Ticket booking module in Defence Travel System (DTS),
- Defence Accounts Receipts and Payment System (DARPAN),
- Defence Civilian Pay system,
- Defence Accounts Human Resource Management System.
Pay System for Agniveers & SPARSH mobile app among key digital initiatives launched during the event
SPARSH Mobile App:
The SPARSH Mobile App has been designed to easily access SPARSH. Ministry of Defence implemented the portal (https://sparsh.defencepension.gov.in/) for pensioners of the Armed Forces as an integrated system for automation of sanction and disbursement of defence pension.
Agniveer Pay System:
The Agniveer Pay System will facilitate efficient pay management for Agniveers (a distinct rank in the Armed Forces), who will soon join the Armed Forces through the Government’s transformational Agnipath scheme.
Defence Travel System:
Defence Travel System provides end-to-end solutions, from booking rail and air tickets to claim submission on its portal for Defence Services and Civilians in a cashless and paperless environment.
DARPAN:
The Defence Accounts Receipts and Payment System is a unified solution for third-party bill payment and accounting. It provides comprehensive insights into various accounting and financial performances.
Defence Civilian Pay system:
The Defence Civilian Pay system expects the disbursement of pay of all defence civilians through a single, centralised and fully automated system
Defence Accounts HR Management System:
The department steps into a new model of digitally enabled human resource management. It has various self-services like e-service book, leaves management, payroll generation and promotion details.
PAO-Bharti:
i. Through the PAO-Bharti initiative, the Armed Forces personnel will be able to get real-time data related to pay & allowances and claims.
ii. An individual can register their complaints through the phone and get replies within 48 hours with PAO’s Interactive Voice Response System.
PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Amrit Kaal’:
i. ‘Amrit Kaal’ was 1st used by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in 2021 during the 75th Independence Day celebration.
ii. The goal can only be achieved if India has a strong military, which is equipped with state-of-the-art weapons/equipment, manufactured by an ‘Aatmanirbhar’ defence industry.
- From the very beginning, Bolstering national security has been our top priority.
iii. On 1st October 2022, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh added the allocation of a total budget of Rs 5.25 lakh crore to the Ministry of Defence in 2022-2023.
iv. 68% of the capital acquirement budget has been reserved for the domestic industry during Financial Year (FY) 2022-2023.
Note: ‘Amrit Kaal’ is the term the government often uses to refer to the period between now and 2047 when India celebrates 100 years of independence.
Dignitaries present at the Event:
Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande, Financial Advisor (Defence Services) Rasika Chaube, Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts Avinash Dikshit and other senior officials of the Ministry of Defence were present during the event.
About the Ministry of Defence (MoD):
Minister of Defence- Rajnath Singh
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Establishment- 1947
