A recommendation has been made by the Group of Ministers to establish a National Defence University. This is a measure to reform the national security apparatus in the context of the present day scenario of rapid changes in technology, weaponry and operational doctrines.

The setting up of a National Defence University (NDU) has been considered as desirable in order to enable the government to have an access to regular information and studies in the area of strategic research and to bring a dynamic relationship among academic institutions.

No date has been fixed so far for setting up this university.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Defence, Mr U V Krishnam Raju in a written reply to Mr Ravi Shankar Prasad in Rajya Sabha.

During the last three years under the J&K action plan, Rs 16 crore was allotted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to carry out the operation Sadhbhavana in the state. This was stated by the Minister of State for Defence, Mr U V Krishnam Raju in the Rajya Sabha. The Minister informed the House that under the scheme 15 new schools have been constructed and 21 schools have been revived. He further stated that at present 6,630 students are studying in these schools.

Giving details of the project, the Minister said that this scheme has been launched in Leh, Kargil, Kashmir, Udhampur, Doda, Poonch and Rajouri. He also informed that there is no proposal to include higher education under operation Sadbhavana.

The Border Roads Organisation has undertaken some major projects for development, construction of roads and bridges in the country.

Works on 450 roads and 53 bridges of strategic and operational importance and on other 117 roads and 40 bridges of various agencies are at various stages of construction. Work on 77 new bridges are planned to be taken up during 2002-2003 and 2003-2004.

Road works are taken up by BRO as per the priority accorded by the Army HQ and the budget allocations made available every year. Time and cost overruns do take place in some cases because of delays in land acquisition/and uncertainty in award of compensation, delay in obtaining forest and environment clearance, change in priority accorded by Army HQ, change in drawing and design in case of execution of bridges due to unpredictable sub-soil characteristics and change in course of rivers.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Defence, Mr U V Krisnam Raju in a written reply to Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad in Rajya Sabha.

The Minister of State for Defence, Mr U V Krishnam Raju said in the Rajya Sabha that solid waste generated in the process of production in the Defence Public Sector undertakings and at various ordnance factories are disposed regularly in accordance with the safety norms without causing any environmental and health hazards. He said that some of the explosive are burnt in controlled conditions to avoid any hazard. The Minister stated that there is a regular mechanism to dispose of such wastes as and when generated. He also added that while disposing the waste, various safety requirements are taken into account.

The government has alloted Rs 35683.58 crore and Rs 65731.51 crore during the eighth and ninth Five Year Plans to defence related projects. Giving this information in Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Defence, Mr U V Krishnam Raju said that Rs 30047.93 more has been provided in the ninth Five Year Plan in comparison with the eighth Five Year Plan