Undesirable for armed forces to take to social media for complaints: Govt

With some instances of security personnel using social media to focus on their grievances, the government on Tuesday said it is not desirable that armed force personnel indulge in such acts as mechanisms to raise such issues already exist within the system.

Replying to questions in Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, while highlighting improvements made towards dietary and clothing needs of jawans, said under the Army Act, there was a system of grievance redressal which should be followed.

In case of a problem, the Chief of Army Staff has also been provided with a mechanism of redressal and even the Defence Minister could be approached and Grievance Boxes have also been placed at various places, he said.

Complaints should come through proper channel and "we will redress it," Parrikar said.

During the Question Hour, members raised the issue of a BSF jawan who had complained of diet in a social media post.

One of the members asked Parrikar that though BSF fell under the Home Ministry, how he would view if Army jawans too aired their problems through the social media.

Parrikar also said that the government has improved the dietary provisions for soldiers and there has been increase in the scale of meat, chicken for JCOs and authorisation of chilled, frozen meat as basic ration.

He said that extension of special ration available for those posted in Siachen Glacier to troops across the country anywhere above 12,000 feet has also been undertaken. The number of eggs provided in the diet per person has been increased from one to two, the Minister said.

Parrikar also said that large scale procurement of bullet-proof jackets and helmets has also been undertaken as were rifles and other equipment. More than a lakh bullet-proof jackets would be procured by the end of 2017, he said.