The Modi government has granted emergency financial powers to the Indian armed forces to up their efforts to tackle the second wave of COVID-19, which is wreaking havoc across the nation. The financial power will enable the armed forces to establish and operate facilities, procure equipment and resources, and perform any tasks that require urgent action.

The announcement was made by  Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, IBNS said. 

"To empower the Armed Forces and speed up their efforts in the nationwide fight against COVID 19, Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh invoked special provisions and granted Emergency Financial Powers to the Armed Forces today," he tweeted.

"Under these...Corps Commanders/Area Commanders have been delegated powers upto Rs 50 lakh per case and Division Commanders/Sub Area Commanders and equivalents have been delegated powers upto Rs 20 lakh per case," a Defence Ministry statement said today.

"These powers have been devolved initially for a period of three months from 1st May to 31st July 2021.These are in addition to the emergency powers delegated to the Medical Officers of the Armed Forces last week," it said.

The government had given similar powers to the armed forces last year when the first wave of COVID-19 gripped the country.

The latest order came after Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that all doctors and other medical personnel who superannuated from the armed forces in the last two years will be recalled and deployed at Covid facilities near their location.

Rawat also said that oxygen available with the military will be diverted to the hospitals that have a shortage of life-saving gas.