The Indian Air Force (IAF) is taking giant strides towards rapid modernisation. While its arsenal is all set to grow stronger, bigger and futuristic, the infrastructural foundations are being assiduously laid by the administration branch of the IAF for a robust growth in operational efficiency and lifestyle for its air warriors. Some of the achievements of the directorates under the administration branch headed by the Air Officer-in-charge Administration (AOA) in recent years are equally significant as the other achievements of IAF in operational and engineering domains.

Directorate of Air Force Works

Management of annual maintenance works plan remains at the forefront of the activities of this Directorate. With a budgetary allocation of Rs 300 crore for capital works in 2005 to a near three-fold increase in the current year, achievement of targets every successive year has been an outcome of sustained involvement at all levels. With the induction of new aircraft such as AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System), FRA (Flight Refueller Aircraft) and also due to the increased civil air operations from IAF airfields, these are required to be maintained at optimum international specifications at all times. Runway resurfacing hitherto took a major chunk of the budget in the past. The issue has since been addressed as resurfacing now is considered ?special project? with separate fund allocations, allowing other infrastructural development works to flourish.

While management of airfield infrastructure is routine, the taking over of seven ALGs (Advanced Landing Grounds) in the area of responsibility of Eastern Air Command, under the CCS approved ?North-East Contingency Plan? in June 2009, for infrastructural development is a challenge that the IAF will meet.

Apart from airfield works, perhaps one of the most significant aspects of IAF works services undertaken in recent years is the ?Married Accommodation Project?, for construction of Dwelling Units (DU), in various phases. Of the sanctioned 7,805 DUs in Phase-I, 6,899 were completed and allotted for occupation in 2009. Phase-II of MAP, due for completion in 2012, will see an additional 1,798 DUs sanctioned?over and above 5,238 DUs, with additional 26 quarters for Air Vice Marshals and above.

Directorate of Organisation

From managing major ceremonial functions, including the Republic Day, Independence Day and Air Force Day, to hosting ceremonial Guards of Honour, organising presentation of President?s Standards and Colours to formulation of policies and issuing of organisational instructions, from managing Air Force Bands to improving standards of ration supply in the IAF, this Directorate is never short of action.

The Directorate strives to provide administrative support to the organisation in order to achieve the ultimate objectives of the IAF. All policy decisions taken by the directorate enhances quality and quantity and include, among other things, improvement in fire services, outsourcing of manpower in support services of housekeeping, catering, introducing pilot project on e-ticketing for reservation of railway tickets to progressively replacing of the manual warrant and concession vouchers. A vision of paperless office for all existing paper-related activities in all IAF stations by 2015 has been envisaged by the directorate.

Functions of the IAF and that of the Armed Forces would be bereft of its ceremonial splendor in the absence of the IAF bands that are managed by this directorate. Seven IAF bands and the Air Warriors Symphonic Orchestra have performed both in India and abroad.

The vibrant showpiece of the IAF, the Air Warriors Drill Team with their motto, ?Drill to Thrill?, showcasing the synchronised drill movements of 28 air warriors with rifles also forms part of the Directorate?s responsibility.

Directorate of Pay, Pension & Regulations

This Directorate oversees the entire gamut of pay and allowances provisions, pension benefits and issues ordinances and guidelines pertaining to various regulations. A significant achievement of the Directorate is the creation of a Pensioners Portal on the existing Air Force website, http://www.iaf.nic.in, containing relevant details on pension matters and 6th Central Pay Commission. Apart from briefing all retiring officers up to the rank of Group Captain and ensuring timely issuance of the Pension Payment Orders (PPOs), issuance of ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) Cards, special identity cards for gallantry award winners, implementation and query management on issues relating to the implementation of the 6th CPC are among its other tasks.

Directorate of Education

Creation of several ?Centres of Excellence? and other initiatives to help wards of air warriors excel and qualify in various professional fields after 10+2, have resulted in a steady increase in the number of students qualifying for IIT, Engineering and Medical Colleges in recent years. The initiatives to ensure that at least one student makes it to either the National Defence Academy (NDA), IIT or other reputed professional colleges from Air Force Schools or Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) located in Air Force Units, has resulted in 31 students joining NDA, 598 engineering colleges, 53 medical colleges and 41 joining IIT in 2009.

Measures like laying emphasis on training teachers through various workshops and conducting common Pre-Board for students of Class X and XII have resulted in the AF Schools achieving close to 96 per cent and 88 per cent pass results in Secondary and Senior Secondary Board results respectively, last year. The compilation of the results for 2010 is awaited. For providing quality education, 13 AF Schools so far have received ISO certification since 2007. That number is set to grow further as each of the seven IAF Commands will nominate one school from their region for ISO certification every year. In August, a ?Group Personal Accidental Insurance Scheme? for over 50,000 students and staff of AF Schools and wards of air warriors studying in KVs was introduced. It provides for a Rs 5-lakh insurance cover for a premium of Rs 60 per annum.

Directorate of Personal Services

The directorate looks after all the welfare needs of the air warriors?financial assistance, disability pension, addressing representation from members of Air Force Association and ex-servicemen association, issues relating to protection of life and property, medical reimbursement of non-ECHS cases, scholarships to their wards. A major aspect of its mandate is to ensure the implementation of ECHS. Of the total 13 regional centres and 227 polyclinics, the IAF is responsible for one regional centre in Hyderabad, and 12 other polyclinics across the country in Phase-I of the project.

Directorate General of Medical Services (Air)

Apart from ensuring the regular healthcare needs of all air warriors and their families, some of the most significant initiatives undertaken for the general well being include setting up of Psychological Evaluation and Remedial Actions Committee (PERAC), for suicide prevention and management of stress-related disorders. The coordinated efforts of PERAC continue to show a downward trend of suicides. While modernisation of healthcare facilities at all IAF units and hospitals has been on for several years, the professional needs of the aircrew in aerospace medicine, including the Human Space Programme, has also been given the impetus with the signing of an MoU between ISRO and IAF?s Institute of Aviation Medicine (IAM), Bangalore. The High Performance Human Centrifuge at IAM has also been operationalised.

Directorate of Provost Marshal

Apart from routine policing duties undertaken by the directorate, one of the most significant achievements in recent years is the creation of IAF?s Special Forces?Garuds. A total of 15 sanctioned flights have been raised since its inception. The Garuds have participated in UN missions and overseas exercises.

Directorate of Judge Advocate General (Air)

From defending and monitoring of civil suits to issuance of policy letters having legal implications and drafting of rules for Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) and rendering legal advice on matters of Air Force Naval Housing Board, Air Force Group Insurance Scheme, Air Force Schools and Sports Complex are among its mandate. The establishment of the Regional Bench of the AFT at Guwahati was the responsibility of the IAF. The bench became fully operational on July 31, 2010.

Directorate of Adventure

For those whose adrenaline rushes are not satiated even after becoming air warriors, the lure of the mountains and sky diving among other adventure activities promoted through the aegis of this Directorate have seen three of them awarded with the prestigious ?National Adventure Award?, deemed equivalent to the ?Arjuna Award? for sports, and six gallantry awards, in the last five years. An all-women expedition of IAF is set to scale the Mount Everest in 2011.

Air Force Sports Control Board

The AFSCB conducts the coveted Subroto Cup Football tournament every year. In addition to organising sports contests and events between Air Forces of other friendly nations, significant sporting successes have been achieved by air warriors. In the ongoing Commonwealth Games, nine IAF officers and 130 personnel below officer ranks are also participating.

?The author is the official spokesperson of the Indian Air Force