42,848 armed forces personnel have tested Covid positive till date: Naik
NEW DELHI: A total of 42,848 personnel of tri-services have tested positive for COVID-19 till date, said Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik on Monday.
The number of COVID19 positive cases in the Indian Army have been 32,690 and the fatality rate stands at 0.24 per cent till date, Naik said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
There have been 6.554 and 3,604 COVID-positive cases in the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy, respectively, he mentioned.
Their fatality rate stands at 0.39 per cent and 0.05 per cent, respectively, he added.
"As per the rules, no special compensation for deaths occurring due to infectious disease is provided to armed force personnel, while they are in service. However, all such cases of death while in service are provided terminal benefits," Naik stated.
He also said that no defence personnel has left service due to stress in the last three years as per available data.
In early January, a study by think tank United Service Institution of India (USI) had said the Indian Army has been losing more personnel every year in suicides, fratricides and untoward incidents than in any enemy action and over half of its soldiers seem to be under severe stress presently.
To a question in Rajya Sabha, Naik said in his written reply, “The number of suicide and fratricide cases are minimal and they have been going down due to a large number of measures initiated by the armed forces, including conduct and implementation of recommendations of studies by Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR).”
After media reported on the USI study in early January, it was removed from the think tank's website. Moreover, its findings were rejected by Army Chief General M M Naravane during a press conference on January 12.
Naik said on Monday, “As per available data, no defence personnel has left service due to stress in last three years.”
The government has taken several steps towards stress amelioration amongst troops, which include deployment of trained psychological counsellors, improvement in the quality of food and clothing, training in stress management, provision of recreational facilities and leave concessions, Naik noted.
In another writtten reply, the minister said that the Army received a total of seven complaints of human rights violations in 2020, but none of them were found to be true.
The Army had received 26 complaints of human rights violations in 2019 and one of them was found to be true, he said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
In 2018, there were 42 such complaints, but they were found to be false, he said.
“No human rights violation cases were reported during 2018 to 2020 from the Indian Navy and Air Force,” the minister noted.
“The Army has zero tolerance policy on human rights violations. All troops are trained and briefed regularly to ensure that operations are conducted as per laid down instructions,” he added.