Invite white paper on DRDO’s current scenario

Subject: Invite white paper on DRDO’s current scenario.

Honorable Sir,

I have to submit following points for rejuvenate DRDO and give moral boost to real honest scientific work force for fruitful and meaningful system/ arms development for end application in three services.

1. DRDO since its inception was committed to assist the active services and the defence production agency in modernization of front line technologies.
2. Until 1980 the organization followed its road map which was evolved by Dr Kothari the then front line technologies to PM. Since then we fought three successive war with our neighbors and requirements of three services increased   many fold as they had to secure our borders from external threats,
3. The demand on DRDO increased therefore, 52 defence R&D labs scattered across the India were established in phased manner. Primary importance was given to the development of long/short range missiles, tank equaling to world class technology, light combat aircraft, nuclear powered submarine, kilo class of warships.
4. With foregoing objectives government of India in 1980 when Smt Indira Gandhi returned to power declared DRDO an integral part of defence working under secretary, DR&D, DG, DRDO and Scientific Adviser to Raksha Mantri. (the three combined post to be hold by single person)
5. Simultaneously the annual budget of DRDO from Rs 64 crores was raised to 1100 crores in particular for establishing modern infrastructures and accelerates indigenous technology development of arms and ammunitions.
6.  The enhanced fund and absolute power to SA to RM without accountability derailed the road map laid by Dr. Kothari the then adviser to PM. Prior to this the post of SA to RM was honorary post
7.  Grabbing land in the name of defence and construction of buildings disproportionate to manpower was the prime work of DRDO top bosses after mid 1980’s. Since the omission commission is hefty every DRDO top officials focused upon the infrastructure development without justified the requirements or create fake requirement in the name of ongoing projects and this being continue till date. Annual maintainace and repairs of these unused infrastructures gulps the major chunk of DRDO annual budget.
8. Presently in DRDO 99% officials are engaged with procurement cases and look for its completion on 31^st march every year, however, they have forgotten the development of frontline technologies and some of the projects/ programs under taken in early 70’s which were suppose to completed by not later than 5 years from the date of sanction is still incomplete after 40 years the notable example are Arjun tank, GTX engine, Tejas, Nag, Akash, Trishul missiles etc.
9. Due to weak government at the center nobody question the authenticity of prolong time taken for development of arms/ ammunitions etc.
10. While successive SA to RM were able to justify the failures  and where the centre rewarded those with Padama Awards, such erroneous decisions encouraged the incompetency in DRDO and at one time before the Kargil War SA to RM authenticated the conceptual proving of the arms than the development of prototype. The justification was that “ we are 100 crores people nobody can attack on us”
11. Immediately India witnessed the Kargil conflict in 1999 where the General Malik said “casualties in the conflict could have been reduced had the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) not come in the way”
12. With this poor show of DRDO during Kagil war the then PM expressed unhappiness with then SA to RM and said “ अपना घर संभालिये सब कुछ ठीक नहीं चल रहा है”
13. Today the condition is that the DRDO procurement policy 2006 duly approved by finance ministry is violated by top DRDO officials (SA to RM, Directors, Program Directors etc.) by splitting the orders to make them within their sanction power. Compromising the quality, favors to vendor by customizing specifications, managed foreign visits with help of suppliers all this result at the end short closing of the project without deliverable output.
14. Now annually DRDO consuming not less than Rs 10000 crores but ultimate looser is country with poor tax payers. “DRDO has become social commitment” Former PM Sh VP Singh said in 2^nd DRDO Director’s conference at Bangalore.

Honorable Sir,

A white paper may please be sought from DRDO and it should be made public so that 49% FDI in defence sector could be justified.

Following points to be justified

1. Total asset of DRDO
2. Annual Budget
3. Lab wise manpower vis -a -vis Project/Programs (it will give the clear picture of delays in output)
4. Products developed and its production and deployments in services for each lab (it will prove the worthiness of Lab)
5.  Awards – vis a vis output of awardees
6. Incentives given on product development ( this will expose the real talent)
7. Patents – Granted/ applied
8. Man power planned and its proportionate buildup accommodation lab wise
9. Total cost of abandon equipments lab wise
10. Statistical failure data analyzing and corrective measure for deployed project like LCA/Arjun Tank/Arihant/various Missiles.

Sir, this is a honest approach to clean DRDO from corruption as you said in Kargil  “Corruption is the worst plague that has ruined the country. Once it is rooted out, we will sail on the path of development smoothly,”