Perform or perish: Antony tells DRDO
PTI | May 29, 2013, 08.08 PM IST – Times of India
Antony told the country’s premier government-run organisation responsible for manufacturing defence equipment that it should adhere to the timelines and satisfy the user.
NEW DELHI: Reflecting frustration over long delays of strategic projects like Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), defence minister A K Antony came down hard on DRDO, saying there is a “limit to time slippages” and that it should “perform or perish”.
Antony told the country’s premier government-run organisation responsible for manufacturing defence equipment that it should adhere to the timelines and satisfy the user.
He specifically referred to the LCA project, which has not fructified even after nearly three decades of inception, and said, “I am waiting that the LCA should become a reality.”
The defence minister said in military development projects across the globe, it is a “herculean task” to meet timelines and there are time slippages. “But there is limit for slippages,” he said, clearly reflecting the frustration.
“In the times of cut-throat competition, the choice is very clear, perform or perish. In delivery of strategic systems, timelines must be adhered to and the satisfaction of the user is the litmus test,” Antony said at a DRDO awards function.
Asking the DRDO to focus on its core competence and “not fritter away its resources and energy”, he said, “Do not think that I am criticising you, I am with you in all times but as the minister of defence, it is my duty to say some things to you.”
On the LCA programme, he said he had been given a particular date by the DRDO. “I hope that it is the final date and the aircraft gets its Initial Operational Clearance II.”
The IOC-I of the LCA was held in January 2011 in Bangalore and its IOC-II was scheduled to be held in July but it has now been postponed to be held in November.
Antony asked the team of HAL, DRDO and the IAF to work together on the LCA project and ensure that it achieves the IOC-II and then the final operational clearance by the end of next year.
How can DRDO perform well when there is massive corruption in DRDO . SASE chandigarh is leading in the corruption in DRDO for example :- one particular person is getting maximum contracts since last 20 years in srinagar namely Mohi ud din and his relatives @ high costs , as he is giving max comission to SASE officers /staff . SASE has given the contract of AWS maintenance to dummy person and the work is done by the staff of electronics group by the green signal from group head of electronics group.