Category Archives: Drdo

As S Christopher completes term, DRDO to remain headless for 3 months

By Manu Pubby, ET Bureau|Updated: May 29, 2018

Christopher was in May last year given a one-year extension. His extended term ended today.

NEW DELHI: The Defence Research And Development Organisation (DRDO) could stay headless for as many as three months with the government failing to find a replacement for incumbent Selvin Christopher who retired on Monday. Efforts till late to grant him another extension in service could have delayed the appointment of a successor, with a search committee looking at probable names to recommend to the cabinet appointments committee.
Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra will hold additional charge of the organisation till the government approves a scientist to take over the top position, an official notification said.

The past few weeks has seen jostling for the post. DRDO has an annual budget of `17,861 crore. Outgoing chief Christopher who was already on a year’s extension of service beyond the prescribed age but had been hoping for yet another extension.

This search committee list is expected to include the three senior most scientists of DRDO, besides the first woman to have made it to the post of director-general in the organisation. Sources said that those in the fray include missile scientists G Satheesh Reddy, the scientific advisor to the defence minister and the head of the Brahmos missile project, Sudhir Mishra.

While Mishra and Reddy come from the missile scientist community that has traditionally ‘ruled’ DRDO, also in contention is Pravin K Mehta, who heads the Armament cluster of the research organisation from Pune. A surprise entrant to the selection shortlist could also be DG Jillelamudi Manjula who heads the Electronics & Communication Systems vertical at DRDO.
As reported by ET, several top level appointments are pending at the defence ministry. The crucial posting to Northern Army Commander is still to be announced

Nepotism – Never ended Business of DRDO

Some scientists from IRDE, DRDO, Dehradun raised voice against the Recruitment Assessment Centre (RAC), DRDO for unethical practice in conducting assessment of scientists Grade scientist C to E.

Recently the interview was held from 15 May to 19 May 2018. Dr A K Gupta was core member, so he was in the board for all days. Total 29 candidates from IRDE were there in this board.

On 15 May 02 Sc C to Sc D

On 16 May 10 Sc C to Sc D

On 17 May 08 Sc D to Sc E

On 18 May 03 Sc D to Sc E

On 19 May 06 Sc E to Sc F

Dr AK Gupta was core member so he had extra power to manipulate the results and he did same.

As Dr AK Gupta (Ex Director) was the core member of instrumentation Board for IRDE. It is clearly against the rules and law. Ex IRDE it was observed that Dr Gupta was partial with some candidates and gave them extra advantage to get through. This modus oprendi is also very common practice of RAC to promote incompetent scientists by custom designing of interview board.  Sh Arun Jaitley then charge of Defence Minister had ordered action against two senior scientists in a case in DRDO on July 2017

As promotion is related to financial gain as well as morale booster for each DRDO scientist and give major impact on his performance.  It should be asked from  RAC (Coordinator for Assessment 2018 Mrs Rajinder Kaur Sokhi, Sc G   that   how & why she did this? Hopefully she gets proper approval from Director RAC in writing. It is clear cut case of corruption and violation of rules.

See the dilemma of IRDE scientists on the issue.

महोदय,

निवेदन है कि RAC द्वारा Assessment बोर्ड 2018 के इंस्ट्रूमेंटेशन बोर्ड (Instrumentation board) में हुई अनियमितता के सुधार हेतु आप उचित कार्यवाही करें. IRDE  देहरादून के इंटरव्यू बोर्ड में IRDE  देहरादून के ही पूर्व निदेशक डॉ. अरुण कुमार गुप्ता को कोर मेंबर बनाने से बोर्ड की निष्पक्षता पर ही प्रश्नचिन्ह लग जाता है, जिसके परिणामस्वरूप पक्षपातपूर्ण निर्णय होनें की पूरी पूरी संभावना है, जो की भारतीय संविधान एवं प्राकृतिक न्याय के सिद्धान्त (Principle of Natural Justice) के विरुद्ध हैं ! RAC के संविधान के अनुरूप निष्पक्ष भर्ती और मूल्यांकन के लिए आवश्यक है की साक्षात्कार बोर्ड में ऐसे सदस्य हो जो की कैंडिडेट के परिचित या रिश्तेदार ना हो परन्तु कोर मेंबर श्री मान गुप्ता पूर्व निदेशक होने के कारण अभ्यर्थियों से भलीभांति परिचित हैं और कुछ वैज्ञानिको से उनके बहुत ही घनिष्ठ एवं मधुर सम्बन्ध भी हैं तथा कुछ से व्यक्तिगत वैचारिक दुर्भाव भी! जिसके परिणामस्वरूप उनके बोर्ड का कोर मेम्बर होने से साक्षात्कार का परिणाम अवश्य ही प्रभावित होगा, जिससे साक्षात्कार की निष्पक्षता पर ही संदेह हो जाता है जिसे नकारा नहीं जा सकता हैं ! इस प्रकार ये गठित बोर्ड ही पूर्णतया असंवैधानिक हैं और अभ्यर्थी वैज्ञानिको के भविष्य के साथ खिलवाड़ हैं !

मान्यवर, कुछ अभ्यर्थी वैज्ञानिक तो उनके घर में बतौर किरायेदार उनके साथ ही रहे हैं और उनके घर खाना तक बनाते थे, इस तरह वे उनके परिवार के सदस्य की भांति ही रहते आयें हैं ! इससे उनको इस बोर्ड में एक्स्ट्रा एडवांटेज मिल सकता है और उनका इंटरव्यू ख़राब होने के बावजूद वो प्रमोट हो सकतें है !

महोदय, ये निवेदन पत्र आपके समक्ष प्रस्तुत कर आपसे विनम्र निवेदन हैं की RAC की भूल को सुधारते हुए उपरोक्त बोर्ड को null & void घोषित कर IRDE के INSTRUMENTATION बोर्ड को पुन: निष्पक्षता के मानदण्डों को पूरा कर गठित करे ताकि साक्षात्कार में शामिल होनें वाले अभ्यर्थी वैज्ञानिको के भविष्य के साथ किसी प्रकार का अन्याय ना हो तथा मजबूरन हम अभ्यर्थी कों न्याय पाने के लिए माननीय न्यायालय की शरण में नहीं जाना पड़े !

आपसे पुन: अनुरोध है की हमारे हितो की रक्षा हेतु आवश्यक एवं समुचित कार्यवाही करे.

धन्यवाद,

जय हिन्द.

DRDO whistle-blowers seek Sitharaman’s intervention

Abhinandan Mishra
May 26, 2018 – Sunday Guardian Live

Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Arun Jaitley had ordered action against two senior scientists in a case in DRDO.

Whistle-blowers and scientists working with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have written to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking her intervention in an alleged corruption case within the DRDO. Sitharaman’s predecessor Arun Jaitley had ordered disciplinary action against two senior scientists in this case, but no action has been taken yet. This newspaper is in possession of a correspondence that was shared by the whistle-blower with the Defence Minister. As per this correspondence, R.K. Jain (Director, Joint Cipher Bureau of the DRDO) and A.K. Singh (Director, Institute of Nuclear Medicine & Allied Sciences) were allegedly found to have been involved in “wasting” government money by conducting interviews for the promotion of scientists in DRDO, despite statutory rules barring such interviews. The DRDO had later stated that even though Rs 1 crore had been spent on calling 255 scientists for the interview, the results of the interview were not used to decide the promotions.

At the time of the interviews in 2011, R.K. Jain was the director of DRDO’s Recruitment and Assessment Centre (which takes care of recruitment and promotions), while A.K. Singh was the director of Directorate of Human Resource Development.

As per DRDO’s own admission, the amount spent on conducting similar interviews in subsequent years (2012 and 2013) was far less than what had been spent in 2011, though a greater number of scientists were interviewed—333 in 2012 and 376 in 2013. When contacted, Manish Bhardwaj, the spokesperson of DRDO, sought some time to respond and told this newspaper on 17 May: “The matter is being examined by a committee on the direction of Hon’ble Raksha Mantri. The committee shall submit the report in 3-4 days. After submission, DRDO would be in a position to provide the information sought by you.” However, no further information regarding the submission of the said report was shared by the spokesperson with this newspaper.

Official sources within the DRDO stated that no such committee was ever constituted in the matter.

The entire incident had come to light when a whistle-blower from DRDO first wrote to the Defence Minister and the Chief Vigilance Officer in July 2014, detailing how public money was wasted and that the whole process was used by the individuals concerned to indulge in alleged corruption.

“Instead of taking action against the two officials for their deliberate misconduct, DRDO rewarded them by awarding R.K. Jain with ‘Best techno managerial services/popular science communication award for his performance in 2011. A.K. Singh was promoted from the grade of Scientist F to the grade of Scientist G in 2011,” reads the latest communication to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. In June 2017, the then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley had ordered disciplinary action against Jain and Singh for causing a loss of Rs 1 crore to Government of India. “DRDO is known for using delaying tactics to shield officers. It deliberately sits on disciplinary orders of defence ministers to make sure that the officials in question retire without facing any punishment. They did this when Jaitley was the Defence Minister and are doing the same under Nirmala Sitharaman,” one of the whistle-blowers said.

Army whistleblower alleges harassment

Prateek Goyal – Saturday, May 26, 2018, 8:12 PM Sakal Times

“According to sources in Army, Dubey was shunted for reporting the security breach to Army Headquarters and CBI”

Pune: In a classic case of harassment of a whistleblower, who had exposed a security breach, the office of an Army officer was sealed on the orders of a high ranking Army official.
Earlier, on March 13, 2018 Sakal Times had carried a report that said the CBI was going to probe a Major General’s role in a security breach at VRDE.

As per the latest development, Lt Colonel NK Dubey found his office at the Ahmednagar-based DRDO’s Vehicle Research & Development Establishment (VRDE) sealed at around 5.30 pm on Tuesday evening. A letter was issued to him half an hour later, stating that Major General Ajay Gupta, Director of VRDE, has transferred him to the National Centre for Automotive Testing.

Despite the ongoing CBI inquiry against Gupta in the security breach matter, he was recently given an extension after completing two years at VRDE through an order issued by Secretary DD R&D and Chairman of DRDO Dr S Christopher on May 18, 2018. Surprisingly, within a two working days of this order, Gupta shunted Dubey out of his office.

According to sources in Army, Dubey was shunted for reporting the security breach to Army Headquarters and CBI. Dubey reported about a 30 minute meeting conducted by Gupta on February 15, 2018 with two foreign nationals and a non-resident Indian, along with officials of a private company, without taking clearance from the Directorate of Vigilance and Security, New Delhi, as is mandatory for DRDO officials.

Earlier, Dubey reported the security lapses at VRDE, including inadequate guard posts, unavailability of QRT vehicle, unavailability of routes to do perimeter patrolling, inadequate boundary lights, etc. to DRDO, after which a letter dated May 22, 2017 was written by Gupta to Army HQ to transfer Dubey. The Army headquarters, however, refused to do so. (Army HQ letter available with Sakal Times)

A source said, “Lt Colonel Dubey have been targeted for exposing corruption and corrupt practices. Previously also, in 2017, Major General Gupta kept him out of office for around two months despite Army HQ refraining him from doing so.” Source added that Gupta had received the letter on June 12 from Army HQ, but he sat on it till August as it was demi-official (person to person). Source said that due to this, Dubey could join back only in August after being informed by Army HQ about the letter. Sealing the office of Dubey and posting him out is an act of revenge against him for being a whistleblower in a number of previous cases against Gupta.

It is significant to note that in 2015, dozens of complaints were reported against Gupta for his deliberate acts and omissions of misconducts under CCS (Conduct) Rules 1964 and under the Army Act, criminal misconduct amounting to corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and criminal offences under IPC to then defence minister Manohar Parrikar. Gupta, then the Director of Vigilance and Security, DRDO HQ, New Delhi, was removed from his post and transferred to the office of Director General, Aeronmautical Systems, Bengaluru.

When questioned, Gupta said, “He (Dubey) is being relieved because there is an investigation against him for leakage of information which he was holding and gave to an unauthorised person outside the lab. Somebody has asked us to conduct an inquiry. He may influence the investigation and hence, he is being posted out.”

Responding to questions that Gupta sat on the Army HQ’s order overruling his decision to transfer Dubey, Gupta said, “DRDO is not under Army, DRDO is an independent organisation, which runs on the basis of its own rules and regulations. If the Army has posted him here, then there is a particular procedure which has to be followed as per DRDO rules. Even DRDO has written to the Army to post him back, I don’t know why the Army is not posting him back.”

When questioned about the VRDE security breach and complaint to CBI, Gupta replied, “I don’t know what you are talking about. I don’t want to talk further.”

 

 

DRDO needs a major overhaul: House Panel

DRDO needs a major overhaul: House Panel

A parliamentary panel, which examined the issue of preparedness of the country’s armed forces, defence production and requirement, has taken a dim view of the functioning of Defence Research and Development Organisation and felt it needs a “major overhaul”.

DRDO is the premier institution in defence research in the country, with more than 50 laboratories, 500 scientists and 25, 000 other scientific, technical and supporting personnel and has a budget of Rs 13,600 crore, which is about 5.5% of the total defence budget.

Noting that DRDO and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) are expected to be storehouses of strategic know-how in the development of missiles, armaments, light combat aircrafts, radars, electronic warfare systems and other defence hardware, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Estimates wondered as to why the country has to depend on foreign suppliers not just for sophisticated weapons but also for basic defence armaments.

“DRDO has not been able to meet nation’s expectations… the committee is of the view that the functioning of DRDO needs a major overhaul and its contribution in the context of country’s requirements need to be examined,” the panel said in a report which was adopted in its meeting on Tuesday.

The report is yet to be presented before Parliament.

The panel also referred to a CAG report of 2015 which had said that an examination of 14 mission mode projects carried out by DRDO laboratories revealed that all projects “failed to achieve their timelines” and the probable date of completion was extended many times.

The committee also flagged another report of a high-power committee constituted by the Ministry of Defence, which had reviewed the functioning of DRDO and had said that at least 11 laboratories of the organisation need to be closed down or amalgamated and its “non-core” research activities need to be stopped.

Referring to the high-power committee’s recommendation that DRDO needs to work with clearly defined objectives to develop weapon systems and platforms, the panel said that it feels that the end users – the three services – must be consulted on areas of research and development of weapon systems.

The panel also recommended the formation of an inter-ministerial group to facilitate collaboration among organisations such as SRO, DRDO and DPSUs.

It also called for “clear-cut road map” for meeting targets of Defence Production Policy, 2018, which aims at making India one of the top defence producers by 2025 with self-reliance in 13 areas covering almost the entire range of weapons and systems.

Analytic report on present scenario of  appointments of incompetents in DRDO   by scientists

To                                                                                              24th May 2018
Hon’ble Smt Nirmala Sitharaman,
Defence Minister,
104- South Block
New Delhi-110011

Subject:  Analytic report on present scenario of  appointments of incompetents in DRDO   by scientists

Madam,

Yesterday website received a letter from scientists of DRDO briefing that how incompetents getting top appointments.

Since you’re joining no any major decisions are visible to improve the current scenario of DRDO. All complaints / inquiries are pending no actions against corrupts, all DRDO is enjoying without any deliveries and best part of this they are getting awards (cash) for their failures from your hands only.

Can any citizen imagine that one scientist who was cornered by then defence minister after special CGDA reports, when he founds that in his own NGO he was supplying worth corers, Madras High Court gave 21 days sentence and Rs 2000 fine,  and for this acts he got Life Time Achievement award (Rs 10 Lakhs) from your hand.

Madam please find enclose letter and do needful to improve and save our premier research organization

With great hope, Jaihind

 

Regards

Prabhu Dandriyal,

21-Sunderwala, Raipur,

Dehradun-248008

Phone – 0135-2787750 | Mobile – 9411114879

Email – prabhudoon@gmail.com | website – www.corruptionindrdo.com

 

Enclosed

Copy of letter received by website

DRDO’s evil eye warder

It’s amazing how technological advancements in India go side by side with the ancient believes that after thousands of years haven’t changed a bit. Just look at the photo – this concoction of green chilies and lime is an evil eye warder, generally known as “nazar battu” or “nimbu-mirchi totka”.

DRDL is DRDO’s missile lab, see the following

Now DRDO will deliver all products with evil eye warder, generally known as “nazar battu” or “nimbu-mirchi totka”.

Foreign nations have shown interest in Akash missile: DRDO

PTI|May 19, 2018 The Economic Times Defence

There is a growing demand for the Akash, an all-weather medium-range surface-to-air missile: DRDO Chairman

COIMBATORE: Several countries have evinced interest in procuring the indigenously developed Akash missile, a top Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) official said here today.

There is a growing demand for the Akash, an all-weather medium-range surface-to-air missile, and many nations have shown interest in it, DRDO Chairman S Christopher told reporters here.

Developed by the DRDO, the Akash missile system has the capability to neutralise aerial targets such as fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles as well as ballistic missiles.

Talks were underway with the countries and “it (orders for the missile) will come”, Christopher said without divulging further details.

To a query on the allocation for research and development, he said this year the organisation has a budgetary allocation of Rs 2,000 crore.

Christopher, who was here to participate in a function, also said there were export inquiries for the BrahMos missile.
BrahMos is joint venture between the DRDO of India and NPO Mashinostroyenia(NPOM) of Russia.
PSU Bharat Dynamics Ltd Chairman and Managing Director, V Udaya Bhaskar said the Akash missile is going to be in good demand for another three to four years as both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army need them in good numbers.

L&T Board whole-time Director (Defence) Jayant Patil said a new aerospace facility in the district will become operational in another 10 months and it will manufacture rocket motors for ISRO.

The defence arm of the L&T, which has so far invested Rs 500 crore in the unit here, is also supplying air frame to BrahMos missile and will expand the product range in the near future.

ALL IS NOT WELL WITH DRDO FUNCTIONING

Wednesday, 09 May 2018 | PNS | Dehradun 
In a big goof up which puts up a question mark over the functioning of country’s premier institute involved in research in the field of defence, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), an official posted as Estate Manager in Dehradun has been transferred to a position which doesn’t even exits. In an order dated April 27, the directorate of personnel, DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi transferred Estate Manager, Maintenance, Dehradun, D P Singh to Project office, Dehradun along with 12 other officials. As per the order his place in Dehradun would be taken over by the Estate Manager, Hyderabad, William Paul. The transfer order bears signature of personnel director Gopal Bhushan.

The order clearly states that the transfers would be applicable from May 1 and the transferred personnel should take new charge assigned to them within 30 days of the issue of the order. The order has however created a piquant situation in Dehradun as there is no project office here as depicted in the order. When contacted the Director ITM,(DRDO) Sanjay Tandon said, “ The order has come from headquarters so one should inquire about it from there only. It could be a typographical error or there could be a plan to set up new office here.”

It is pertinent to mention here that D P Singh has been working on the post of Estate Manager from last 12 years. He was looking after the task of appointment of contract workers in all three institutes of DRDO in Dehradun, the Defence Electronic Application Laboratory (DEAL), Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE) and Institute of Technology Management (IMT).

The transfer of D P Singh was long overdue and the way he was transferred from one office in Dehradun to another nonexistent office in Dehradun only has raised many an eyebrow in all three offices of DRDO located here.

 

डीआरडीओ में 12 साल बाद हुआ तबादला, कार्यालय का पता नहीं

रक्षा अनुसंधान संस्थान में एस्टेट मैनेजर के पद तैनात ‘जी’ श्रेणी के वरिष्ठतम वैज्ञानिक का 12 साल बाद तबादला तो किया गया, लेकिन ऐसे कार्यालय में जिसका पता उनके अफसरों को भी नहीं है।

Publish Date:Mon, 07 May 2018 05:01 PM (IST) – दैनिक जागरण

देहरादून, [सुमन सेमवाल]: डिफेंस रिसर्च एंड डेवलपमेंट ऑर्गेनाइजेशन (डीआरडीओ) जैसे चोटी के रक्षा अनुसंधान संस्थान में एस्टेट मैनेजर के पद तैनात ‘जी’ श्रेणी के वरिष्ठतम वैज्ञानिक का 12 साल बाद तबादला तो किया गया, लेकिन ऐसे कार्यालय में जिसका पता उनके अफसरों को भी नहीं है। कुछ दिन पहले डीआरडीओ मुख्यालय नई दिल्ली से उनके तबादले का आदेश जारी किया गया, मगर नई तैनाती के आगे प्रोजेक्ट ऑफिस देहरादून लिखा गया है, जबकि ऐसा कोई कार्यालय देहरादून में है ही नहीं।

डीआरडीओ में एस्टेट मैनेजर जैसा पद रोटेशनल ट्रांसफर का हिस्सा होता है और नियमों के अनुसार हर तीन साल में ऐसे पदों पर कार्यरत कार्मिकों का स्थानांतरण होना चाहिए। बावजूद इसके देहरादून के एस्टेट मैनेजर (साइंटिस्ट-जी) करीब 12 सालों से इसी पद पर तैनात थे। कुछ दिन पहले जब डीआरडीओ मुख्यालय नई दिल्ली से डायरेक्टर (पर्सनल) गोपाल भूषण के हस्ताक्षर से जारी स्थानांतरण सूची में दून के एस्टेट मैनेजर का नाम नवें क्रम पर है।

इसमें चौंकाने वाली बात यह है कि सूची में उनका नया तैनाती स्थल प्रोजेक्ट ऑफिस देहरादून है। देहरादून के एस्टेट मैनेजर यहां डीआरडीओ के डिफेंस इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स एप्लिकेशन लैबोरेटरी (डील), इंस्ट्रूमेंट्स रिसर्च एंड डेवलपमेंट इस्टेब्लिशमेंट (आइआरडीई) व इंस्टीट्यूट ऑफ टेक्नोलॉजी मैनेजमेंट (आइटीएम) संस्थानों में लगभग सभी तरह के ठेका संबंधी कार्यों की जिम्मेदारी संभालते हैं। खास बात यह कि इन तीनों कार्यालयों में भी ऐसा कोई प्रोजेक्ट ऑफिस नहीं है।
न ही तीनों संस्थानों के निदेशकों को ऐसे किसी कार्यालय के होने की जानकारी है। डील के निदेशक डॉ. आरएस पुंडीर का कहना है कि उन्हें ऐसे किसी कार्यालय का पता नहीं है। हो सकता है कि भविष्य में कोई ऐसा कार्यालय स्थापित किया जाए। इसी तरह आइआरडीई के निदेशक लॉयनल बेंजामिन भी ऐसे किसी कार्यालय की जानकारी होने से इन्कार कर रहे हैं। जबकि आइटीएम मसूरी के निदेशक संजय टंडन कहते हैं कि जिस अधिकारी के हस्ताक्षर से स्थानांतरण किया गया है, इस बारे में उन्हीं से सवाल करने चाहिए।

गोपाल भूषण, डायरेक्टर (पर्सनल, डीआरडीओ) का कहना है कि मैं रोजाना तमाम तरह के आदेशों पर हस्ताक्षर करता हूं। एस्टेट मैनेजर के स्थानांतरण आदेश में क्या लिखा गया है, मुझे अभी इस बात की जानकारी नहीं है।