March 13, 2002

    Capacities in Ordnance Factories have been created to cater to the demand from the Services, mainly the Army. As such under the policy of the Government, existing capacity of Ordnance Factories is first required to be fully booked for utilization whether the item is reserved for Small Scale Industry or not. The balance quantity, if any, that remains uncovered is procured from the private sector / Khadi Village Industries Commission (KVIC) / The Handloom Handicraft Sector or Central Cottage Industries Commission (CCIC) and from the Association of Corporations and Apex Societies of Handlooms (ACASH). Certain items are reserved for procurement from the Handloom / Handicraft Sector like Hand Towel, Durries including floor durries, all bandages including gauze, handmade paper, stationery including file covers, writing pads curtain & Sofa cloth, table covers with napkins, dusters, bed sheets and blanket barracks. The items reserved for procurement from Small Scale Industries are not being procured from abroad.

    This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes in a written reply to Shri Bachani Lekhraj in Rajya Sabha today.