New Delhi: During financial year 2019-20, 38 contracts were signed with Indian vendors and 32 others with the foreign vendors. In the current Financial Year 2020-21 (up to July 2020), 10 contracts have been signed with Indian vendors and six others with foreign vendors for capital procurement of defence equipment for the Indian Armed Forces, Lok Sabha was told.

Out of the total 48 capital acquisition contracts signed with Indian vendors from April 2019 to July 2020, 18 contracts were signed with DPSUs/PSUs/OFB/DRDO/ISRO and 30 others with Indian private vendors.

All efforts are made to optimally use budgeted funds for meeting committed liabilities relating to already concluded capital acquisition contracts and for new schemes contracted during the year.

While evaluating competitive bids for defence contracts between DPSUs and private sector entities, no advantage is given to DPSUs. The competitive bids are evaluated based on the RFP terms and conditions, said Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik.

During 2018, 2019 and up to August 31 this year, 7.586 acres of defence land inside cantonment under the management of Defence Estate Organization (DEO) have been detected as encroached by the residents. Out of above, defence land measuring 4.11 acres have got freed from encroachment during the same period.

The illegal occupation of defence land may cause difficulties in municipal administration viz. providing water supply, sanitation and other municipal facilities, the Minister said.

Among the various steps taken to address the problem of encroachment include strengthening of defence land management by way of computerisation and digitisation of land records, survey, demarcation and verification of defence lands and land audit.

There is regular inspection of sites under respective jurisdiction conducted by the CEO/DEO/Station Commander as the case may be, Court cases are being pursued to evict encroachers.

The Minister said close liaison is being maintained with revenue and civil police authorities to detect attempt to encroach upon the defence land by encroachers.

In reply to another question, Naik said the number of COVID-19 cases in Army, Navy and Air Force are 16758, 1365 and 1716 respectively.

The number of deceased due to COVID-19 in Army and Air Force are 32 and three respectively and ‘NIL’ in case of Navy.

As per the extant rules, there is no special compensation for deaths occurring due to infectious diseases while in service. However, all deaths while in service are awarded terminal benefits.