February 20, 2002

'33'

    The Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes has said that Government has laid emphasis on modernization of Ordnance and ammunition depots. In the last couple of years the Ordnance services have been getting the desired financial support and have started making visible progress in this direction. Shri Fernandes was addressing the Consultative Committee Meeting attached to his Ministry in New Delhi today.

    The Defence Minister said that one of the major constraints in the past to modernize the depots has been budgetary. Since 1950s till the year 1999, works worth only Rs.129 Crores were sanctioned for construction of ammunition storage accommodation.

    The Government now has removed this constraint and in the years 2000-01 and 2001-02 works worth Rs.228 Crores and Rs.147 Crores were released/approved respectively. Projects worth Rs. 146 Crores are under execution during the current financial year. This allotment of additional funds will go a long way in creation of more storage accommodation for shifting ammunition, at present stored on open plinths under canvas/tentage to proper Explosive Stores Houses.

    Works worth Rs.313 Crores have been projected for the year 2002-03. Once these works are completed, adequate covered accommodation will be available for the ammunition. Emphasis is on replacing the temporary accommodation by permanent accommodation and providing the necessary security, fire fighting and technical infrastructure in the ammunition depot.

    A sum of Rs.3565 Crore has also been projected in the Army’s 10^th Plan towards modernization of ammunition depots, security and Fire Fighting infrastructure, computerization and raising of two new ammunition depots, the Minister added.

    It has also been decided to modernize seven Central Ordnance Depots located at Agra, Mumbai, Chheoki, Delhi Cantonment, Dehu Road, Jabalpur and Kanpur in a phased manner. To begin with, modernization of the Central Ordnance Depot, Kanpur has been taken up involving an expenditure of Rs.187 Crores. The project envisaging complete mechanization of the stores handling, construction of additional storage accommodation and improvement in security environment is expected to be completed by December 2003.

    Steps have also been taken to design, develop and install an ‘On-line Inventory Management System’.

    Various measures have been taken to reduce fire accidents in ammunition depots. Shortages in fire-fighting equipment are being made up. 88 Trucks Fire-Fighting are being procured shortly. In addition, 137 Trucks Fire-Fighting have also been contracted.

    Lauding the work of the Army Ordnance Corps, the Minister said that all the Ordnance Depots are now being properly maintained and expressed his confidence that the shortcomings would be made up. Shri George Fernandes in his concluding remarks said that with the positive steps now being taken, the ammunition and ordnance depots will become more dynamic, responsive, secure and safe.

    Following Members attended the Consultative Committee meeting – Shri Kirpal Parmar, Shri TN Chaturvedi, Shri Ranjan Prasad Yadav, Shri Kala Venkata Rao (All from Rajya Sabha) and Smt Jaishree Banerjee from Lok Sabha. Shri UV Krishnam Raju, Minister of State for Defence, Shri Harin Pathak, Minister of State for Defence Production & Supplies and Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs also attended the meeting. Shri Yogendra Narain, Defence Secretary, Shri Subir Dutta, Secretary Defence Production and Supplies, Shri PR Sivasubramanian, Secretary, Defence (Finance) and other senior civil and military officials were also present during the meeting.