NEW DELHI (PTI): Forty-one proposals of domestic defence vendors worth Rs 86,623 crore have been approved by the central government since May last year for capital procurement, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said on Wednesday.

He was responding to a question on the procurement started in the defence sector under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ scheme of the Centre.

"Total 41 AoN (Acceptance of Necessity) worth Rs 86,623.55 crore have been accorded to domestic vendors for capital acquisition since May 2020," Bhatt said.

"For the year 2021-22, the allocation of domestic procurement has been enhanced compared to the previous year, and this year, it is about 64.09 per cent of the allocated amount for military modernisation (Rs 71,438.36 crore)," he said.