<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;">Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh launched several digital initiatives of the Defence Accounts Department (DAD) during its 275th Annual Day celebrations in New Delhi on 1st October.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> The initiatives include 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 and Defence Accounts Human Resource Management System.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> Mr Singh commended the DAD for taking forward the Digital India vision of the Government. He said, the new initiatives will increase transparency and efficiency in the functioning of the department.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> Our correspondent reports, SPARSH Mobile App will ensure pensioner access and reach to important functionalities of the SPARSH portal through their mobiles.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> Describing SPARSH as a landmark step, Mr  Singh said, it is the Government's endeavour to provide the best services to the serving personnel, ex-servicemen and their families during the soldiers' lifetime as well as after death.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> Mr Singh called upon DAD to make speedy and quality disposal of grievances of pensioners their first priority. He said, Agniveer Pay System will facilitate efficient pay management for Agniveers, who will soon join the Armed Forces through the Government's transformational Agnipath scheme.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> Mr Singh lauded the DAD for imbibing Prime Minister  Narendra Modi's mantra of 'reform, perform and transform' by adopting these digital initiatives.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> Raksha Mantri also praised the vital role played by the DAD in managing the financial resources of the Services by following the principles of financial prudence. He said, as India has completed 75 years of Independence, it is moving forward with renewed confidence and determination under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 'Amrit Kaal' to become one of the most powerful countries in the world by 2047.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"><br />''</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> Mr. Singh added, this 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. Bolstering national security has been our top priority since the beginning, emphasised Raksha Mantri. The allocation of a total budget of 5.25 lakh crore rupees to the Ministry of Defence in 2022-23 is a testament to that unwavering resolve.</span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;"> </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #212529;">Raksha Mantri shed light on the important role the Department can play in realising the vision of 'Aatmanirbharta' in Defence saying 68 per cent of the capital procurement budget has been earmarked for the domestic industry during Financial Year 2022-23. Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar were among others present. </span></p>''<p style="margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br />''</p>