NEW DELHI: After demonetisation, the defence forces have played their own part in the efforts to make the fresh currency available to the public at the earliest.
While Air Force has put into service its heavy transport aircraft for ferrying fresh currency to various places, the Army personnel have been deployed in at least two printing units to secure the venue and the currency.
The IAF planes have so far transported 610 tonnes of freshly-printed currency.
"We have also helped the government in running at least one of the mints 24x7 with help of our people," Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said at a press conference here while talking about IAF's contribution to the demonetisation move.
He said the IAF has pitched in to carry cash from mints using its heavy transport aircraft and choppers.
"Large volumes of cash has been transferred from one place to another. As of today we have flown 35 sorties, and have carried about 610 tonnes of cash," he said.
Raha, who will be retiring on December 31, defended the move of roping in the IAF saying he thinks it is "perfectly alright in terms of serving the nation, the people, to overcome the difficulties that they are facing".
He said the demonetisation has been a very huge initiative taken by the government.
He said both the armed forces and the government realised that there has been lot of hardships for the people because of the non-availability of cash in the ATMs and the banks.
"We are there to serve the nation, serve the government, like HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief), aid to civil authorities, be it law and order situation..." he said.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com