Tag Archives: report

Drdo

Indian Railways faces CAG heat on bio-toilets

Leave a comment

The report indicated that no awareness campaign was conducted by railway zones – except Southern Railway.
Shine Jacob | New Delhi Buisness Standard
Last Updated at December 19, 2017
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has criticised Indian Railways for installation of bio-toilets on trains, citing that majority of them face operation deficiencies including choking, foul smell and inadequate supply of bacterial inoculum.

The report indicated that no awareness campaign was conducted by railway zones – except Southern Railway. Moreover, only 36.62 per cent supervisory and 23.21 per cent non-supervisory staff were trained in maintenance of bio-toilets.

The ‘bio-toilet’ (using bio-digester technology) is an eco-friendly waste management solution, which reduces solid human waste to bio-gas and water with the help of a bacterial inoculum through biological degradation of human waste. It eliminates the direct discharge of human waste from coach toilets onto railway tracks and platform aprons in stations, and helps avoid manual scavenging while keeping the platform aprons and trains clean.

An audit conducted in 30 coaching depots of 15 zonal railways in 2016-17 by CAG indicated that out of 613 trains being handled in these depots, 160 trains did not have any bio-toilets fitted. “In remaining 453 trains with 25,080 bio-toilets, 1,99,689 instances of deficiencies were noticed,” the report said.
It was in January 2015 that the railway board decided to eliminate the provision of direct discharge toilets in new coaches by the end of 2016-17. However, during 2014-15 to 2016-17, utilization of funds for retrofitment of bio-toilets remained between 34 per cent and 71 per cent. For the year 2016-17, Minister of Railways had announced that 20,000 bio-toilets were to be inducted through retrofitment. Railway Board fixed an internal target of 50,000 bio-toilets to be inducted through retrofitment. “As against this target, various Zonal Railways could achieve induction of 22,198 bio-toilets through retrofitment. The shortfall of more than 30 per cent was noticed in five Zonal Railways out of 16 Zonal Railways (East Central-67 per cent, North Central-49 per cent, Northern-42 per cent, South Eastern-44 per cent and Western-43 per cent),” the report added.

The report also indicated that due to the inadequate progress of retrofitment of bio-toilets in passenger coaches by Zonal Railways, Railway Board decided to place a bulk order for supply, installation and commissioning of approximately 80,000 bio-toilets in in-service coaches. “As against 33,783 bio-toilets which were to be supplied to 16 Zonal Railways up to March 2017, only 14,274 bio-toilets were supplied by the firms. Out of these, 12,016 bio-toilets were fitted in coaches up to March 2017,” it said. CAG also highlighted that out of the nine firms, on which orders were placed, seven firms, had complaints pending against them regarding quantity and quality of material supplied during 2015-16 and 2016-17.

Drdo

Almost 2 lakh complaints of choking, foul smelling bio-toilets in trains: CAG

Leave a comment

PTI|Dec 19, 2017,The Economic Times
NEW DELHI: Almost two lakh complaints regarding choking, foul smelling and non-functional bio- toilets in trains were received from the public in 2016-2017, a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said today.

The CAG, in its report on ‘Induction of bio-toilets in passenger coaches in Indian Railways’, has said that out of the 613 trains being handled in 32 coaching depots it audited, 160 trains did not have bio-toilets.

“In the remaining 453 trains having 25,080 bio-toilets, 1,99,689 instances of deficiencies or complaints were noticed,” the report stated.

With 1,02,792 complaints, choking seemed to be the most common problem for passengers regarding bio-toilets, the report said, followed by complains of foul smell (16,375), non-functional toilets (11,462), non-availability of dustbins (21,181), non-availability of mugs (22,899) and other complaints like ball valve failure and wire ropes (24,980).

The report has said that 1,02,792 cases of choking in 25,080 bio toilets imply “that one bio-toilet got choked four times in a year during 2016-2017.” During 2015-2016, for 24,675 bio toilets, 61,088 cases of choking were seen.

“This shows that instances of choking of bio-toilets increased in 2016-2017 and needs to be addressed,” it said.

The report said that 33.89 per cent of the choking cases were noticed in Bengaluru coaching depot in South Western Railway alone, which handles only 1.6 per cent of the total bio-toilets, implying that one bio-toilet got choked 83 times in a year.

The report which is based on audit for the period 2014- 2015-2016-2017 and was submitted in Parliament today, also provided Railways’ view on the stinking and choking bio- toilets.

Comments
S.K.
Bio-toilets are a very dumb idea. FEKU should have learned the best practice of rlys in the West.

Drdo

3,600 Crores Later, Made-In-India Akash Missile Fails Tests, Says Auditor

Leave a comment

The Akash and its newer variant, the Akash Mk-2, are a medium-range surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept enemy aircraft and missiles at a distance of 18-30 km.
All India | Written by Vishnu Som | Updated: July 28, 2017 18:41 IST NDTV

The Akash was produced by the state-run Bharat Electronics.

NEW DELHI: As many as a third of the home-made Akash surface-to-air missiles have failed basic tests, says the country’s national auditor, claiming the deficiencies of the missiles “posed an operational risk during hostilities.”

The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is a big setback for the Make-In-India initiative which seeks to reduce India’s dependence on imported arms. The report, given to parliament, says, “the missiles fell short of the target, had lower than the required velocity, and there was malfunctioning of critical units.”

The Air Force has refused to comment on the report.

The Akash was produced by the state-run Bharat Electronics. The auditor says that though 3,600 crores have been paid to the manufacturer, none of the missile systems are installed at the six designated sites even though it has been seven years since the contract was signed.

The Akash and its newer variant, the Akash Mk-2, are a medium-range surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept enemy aircraft and missiles at a distance of 18-30 km. Tested extensively by the Indian Air Force, the Akash, which was first handed over in December 2008, was seen as a breakthrough indigenous system and in 2010, an additional six squadrons were ordered.

These additional squadrons, composed of missile launchers, radars, associated vehicles and hundreds of Akash missiles, were meant to be deployed at six air force bases in the East for which the government approved related infrastructure including storage facilities, workshops and ramp structures. These were supposed to be constructed by Bharat Electronics on a turnkey basis at a cost of approximately 100 crores. However, this infrastructure “could not be completed till October 2016 at any of the sites.” The auditor also says though work was nearly complete at two bases, the “IAF had not taken over these buildings because of defects in the construction, which rendered them unsuitable for strategic missile system storage. In other stations, the progress was below 45 per cent as of October 2016”.

While the missiles were indeed delivered to air forces bases between April 2014 and June 2016 after a delay of between 6 and 18 months, the missiles were found to be deficient in quality. According to the auditor, “Out of 80 missiles received upto November 2014, 20 missiles were test fired during April-November 2014. 6 of these missiles, ie, 30 per cent, failed the test.”

Uncategorized

DRDO’s Agra lab spends Rs 49.50 cr, 6 yrs, in developing surveillance system which fails Army standards

1 Comment

Arvind Chauhan | Jul 24, 2017, 10:01 AM IST
AGRA: The Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), spent Rs 49.50 crore to develop a balloon-based platform for surveillance and communication, but failed to meet Army standards after years of work, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
For the project, ADRDE also imported special fabric worth Rs 6.20 crore but never used it during trials of the system. Last year, CAG rapped ADRDE for failing to produce combat free fall (CFF) parachutes for special forces in more than a decade after incurring expenses of Rs 10.75 crore.
According to the report, the ministry of defence sanctioned a technology demonstration project, ‘Nakshatra’, to ADRDE in July 2011, to develop an aerostat platform with net payload capacity of 300 kg and an endurance of seven to 14 days, with balloon life of four to five years.
“Based on the earlier experience with ” — another medium-size aerostat developed by using polyurethane (PU) coated nylon fabric, the ADRDE decided to use laminated fabric, which was supposed to double the endurance of the aerostat to two weeks and shelf life from 18 months to 4-5 years. Therefore, the ADRDE imported laminated fabric at the cost of Rs 6.20 crore,” stated the report.
“Interestingly, the imported laminated fabric was never used and the DRDO lab used only PU coated nylon fabric for the balloon. Later the project was shut down in January 2017, as the Army did not accept the product, incurring a loss of Rs 49.50 crore to the exchequer,” the report added.
Speaking to TOI, public relations officer S M Jain of ADRDE said, “The project was a complete success. We tested the technology of ADRDE at Gurdaspur, Punjab, close to the India-Pakistan border in 2016. Further, the Army demanded that the trials be extended for two more years at various locations close to international borders, but they didn’t give us more funds to conduct the trials. So the operational feasibility of the system was never tested and the project was shut down.”
ADRDE officials also claimed that the balloon made of laminated fabric was kept as a spare and would have been utilised in case of any damage to PU coated nylon fabric balloon.
Army officials however said that the system trials of ‘Nakshatra’ were only carried out for three days. “So the effectiveness of the communication sets loaded on the balloon could not be ascertained. We requested ADRDE to deploy the system for three months to test its efficacy, before we could take over the system for extended trials,” an official said.
Only a few countries in the world have such systems of their own, including the US, Germany, France and Japan.

Drdo

Shut Down Laboratories And Overhaul The DRDO, Expert Committee Tells Defence Ministry

1 Comment

All non-core research activity of the DRDO must stop.
Sudhi Ranjan Sen Deputy Editor (News)  The Huffington Post 14/03/2017 3:40 PM IST

HINDUSTAN TIMES VIA GETTY IMAGES The Arjun tank stationed on the Parliament House premises for an exhibition in August 2016 in New Delhi, India.

India’s premier defence research organisation, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), needs a major overhaul, some its research laboratories closed and the organisation needs to concentrate only on development of defence platforms, a high-level committee appointed by the Ministry of Defence has said in its report.

In the last five years, DRDO has been getting between ₹6,000-₹8,000 crore annually for defence research — roughly 6% of the defence budget.

The DRDO was set up in 1958 to achieve self-reliance in manufacturing weapon systems to equip the armed forces. It has over 33,000 personnel, which includes nearly 8,000 scientists, 13,000 technicians, and 52 laboratories. Its area of research is wide and encompasses everything, from juices to nuclear missiles.

Former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had constituted the committee led by Lieutenant General DB Shekatkar (Retired) in May 2016 to suggest ways to enhance the combat capabilities of India. The panel submitted its 550-page report to the government recently.

Top sources told HuffPost India the committee has said as many as 11 laboratories of the DRDO need to closed down or amalgamated and its “non-crore” research activities stopped. The committee also said that DRDO needs to work with “clearly defined” objectives to develop “weapon systems and platforms”.
Instead of the DRDO deciding on areas and focus of research, the committee has recommended setting up of a “Technology Commission”, headed by the defence minister, with representatives from the armed forces. The commission should formulate research and development policy and even set specific deadlines for research.

The committee feels that end-users — the three services — must be consulted on areas of research and development of weapon systems. To break the red-tape in the DRDO, the committee has suggested that DRDO scientists be given incentives for successful completion of projects.

Suggesting further reforms, the DB Shekatkar Committee has also said that Ordnance Factory Boards (OFB) — which produce bulk of the ammunition and weapons used by the forces — should consult the armed forces when inducting new technology or material. It has pointed to the fact that OFB, which produce rifles, wasn’t aware of the exact weight of the guns it was producing.

Interestingly, the committee has said that OFB needs to include private companies and has suggested using private-public partnerships to speed up production, ensure better quality and cut down delays.

This isn’t the first time an overhaul of the DRDO has been recommended. Questions have been frequently raised about the delays and cost over-runs in DRDO projects.

In a 2015 report, the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) had pointed out that audit 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 (PDC) was extended many a times”.

These mission mode projects include the crucial S-band surveillance system ‘Rohini’ radars, secure video and fax communication between airborne platforms and ground station ‘Meghdoot’ and electronic warfare suit for the modified MIG-29 fighters.

The delays, the CAG pointed out, “were mainly due to inadequate monitoring”.

 

Drdo

Government asks CBI to probe in allegations of corruption in purchase of three Embraer aircrafts

Leave a comment

By Express News Service Published: 15th September 2016 – The New Indian Express
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started analyzing allegations of Brazilian aviation major Embraer hiring a UK-based agent and paying commissions to swing the $208 million deal for three Emb-145 aircraft inked with India during UPA rule in 2008.

The government had asked the agency to probe in allegations of corruption in the purchase of three Embraer aircraft for Defence Research and Development Organisation in 2008

The agency sources said officials are going through the reference and any decision to start a probe in the matter will be taken soon after analysing all the documents.

If the agency is satisfied that it has enough prima facie evidence to initiate an FIR, it will start or else it might register a preliminary enquiry to gather enough material for registering a regular case, they said.

Government had stated that the allegations were of a serious nature and the CBI will probe.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had earlier this week said that, “If there is a criminal angle, then the CBI will probe as the Ministry cannot”. “If only procedural issues are involved, then the Defence Ministry can do an internal investigation,” he had said.

The deal for purchase of three Embraer aircraft during the UPA regime has kicked up dust with US authorities going into alleged payment of kickbacks. The deal has come under the scanner of the US Justice Department which has been probing Embraer for alleged payment of bribes to secure contracts.
Soon after, the reports of irregularity surfaced, the DRDO has already sought a report from the Brazilian firm, which has said it has been looking into graft allegations over the last five years.

DRDO investigation through report from Brazilian firm is a separate investigation. Parallel investigation has been started by CBI

The Special Investigation Team probing AgustaWestland bribery scandal will also probe this scam.

The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). The first “modified” aircraft was delivered to DRDO in 2011, with the other two following later.

After several missed deadlines, the AEW&C project is now slated to be completed by December. Present DRDO chief S Christopher was the AEW&C programme director and head of the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) before he was chosen to head DRDO in May 2015 by the NDA government.

Sources claimed that role of the committee, comprised of officials from IAF and DRDO is also under scanner, which shortlisted the Embraer deal.

Brazil’s top newspaper, the ‘Folha de Sao Paulo’, had reported on September 8 that the possible bribery in the 2008 Indian deal was under the scanner of the US justice department, which has been investigating Embraer since 2010, after a contract with the Dominican Republic raised suspicion. The scope of the investigation has now been widened to examine Embraer’s dealings with eight other countries, including India and Saudi Arabia.

Drdo

CBI will probe Embraer deal if evidence of criminality found, says Parrikar

Leave a comment

September 11, 2016 – THE HINDU
‘Will make a statement only after studying the DRDO report’

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said he might recommend a CBI probe into the Embraer aircraft deal if it displayed “criminal nature” after the DRDO wrote to the Brazilian company seeking details of the deal involving three EMB 145 aircraft.

“I have directed the DRDO to send a complete report on the deal by Monday. I will study the report first before making any concrete statement on the issue but I can tell you as of now that if it displays criminal nature, I will hand over the case for CBI probe,” Mr. Parrikar told media persons in Vadodara.

He said: “If there were procedural issues, then an internal inquiry will be ordered.”

The deal

India has asked an explanation from the Brazilian aircraft-maker Embraer following media reports of an international investigation into the alleged payment of bribes to secure an aircraft deal in 2008.

A U.S.-Brazil investigation into the Embraer deal, uncovered a bribery case, leading to a deal between the company and DRDO in 2008.

According to Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, Embraer had been under investigation by the United States Justice Department since 2010 “when a contract with the Dominican Republic raised the Americans’ suspicions.”

India had signed a $208-million deal in 2008 for procuring three Emb-145 aircraft.

Drdo

CBI may probe Embraer deal, if needed, hints Parrikar

Leave a comment

ANI | Sep 11, 2016,- The Times of India
VADODARA: With the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) writing to Brazilian company Embraer, seeking details on a report that it employed an agent to sell three EMB 145 aircraft to the DRDO in 2008, defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday asserted that if the issues display a criminal nature, then it will be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Speaking to the media here, Parrikar stated he has asked the DRDO to submit a complete report on the matter on Monday, and it will be only after that that he can make a concrete statement.
“I am not going to give a knee-jerk reaction and just make a statement based on rumours. I have asked for a report, which will be submitted on Monday, and if the issues are of a criminal nature, then we can forward this case to the CBI for a criminal investigation. If there are just procedural issues, then we can do an internal investigation,” Parrikar said.
Admitting that he was himself unaware on several nuances of the issue since it happened in 2008, the defence minister reiterated that he will make a composite statement on the case only after he gets the report on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked the Centre to probe the aircraft bribery allegations linked to manufacturers of the Embraer.
A joint US-Brazil investigation into Embraer has uncovered a bribery case leading to a deal signed between the company and DRDO in 2008 for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems).
The company has been under the scanner of the United States Justice Department since 2010 after a contract with the Dominican Republic raised suspicions.
Stay updated on the go with Times of India News App. Click here to download it for your device.

Drdo

PIL STATUS – DMSRDE Case

4 Comments

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

+ W.P.(C) 3610/2015 & CM No.6436/2015 (for directions).

PRABHU  DANDRIYAL ….. Petitioner

Through: Mr. R. Sathish, Adv.

versus

UNION OF INDIA & ORS ….. Respondents

Through: Mr. Anil Soni, CGSC and Naginder

Benipal, Adv. for R-1 to 3.

Mr. R.V. Sinha and Mr. A.S. Singh,

Advs. for R-5.

Mrs. Rajdipa Behura, SSP with Mrs.

Monica Gupta, Adv. for R-8.

CORAM:

HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE

HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE RAJIV SAHAI ENDLAW

O R D E R

27.05.2015

Heard both parties.

The learned counsel appearing for the respondents no.1 to 3 states that the report of the Fact Finding Inquiry is ready and the same will be filed in a sealed cover during the course of the day.

Judgment reserved.

CHIEF JUSTICE

RAJIV SAHAI ENDLAW, J

Strange thing of this case is no above mentioned respondents Advocates were physical present there.

Second is  the request of respondents no.1 to 3 for  submit the report of  Fact Finding Inquiry will be filed in a sealed cover.

It itself proves that DRDO afraid to show the fact finding committee reports because the corruption will be expose or manipulation in fact finding inquiry will be expose.

Same report is also asked by Loksabha unstarred question no 6929, any how matter will going to expose either by High court or by Loksabha.

Drdo

S Christopher is new Director General of DRDO; GS Reddy appointed scientific advisor to Defence Minister

4 Comments

By ET Bureau | 28 May, 2015, 09.30PM IST

s-christopher-is-new-director-general-of-drdo-gs-reddy-appointed-scientific-advisor-to-defence-minister
After a gap of several months, DRDO has finally got a new leadership with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar pushing through a new concept to divide the top post into two parts.

After a gap of several months, DRDO has finally got a new leadership with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar pushing through a new concept to divide the top post into two parts.

The government on Thursday appointed S Christopher who heads the centre for airborne systems as the new Director General of DRDO with the rank of a secretary.
Splitting the top post, the government also appointed the younger GS Reddy – a missile scientist – as the scientific advisor to the defence minister. Reddy will directly report to Parrikar and will be the pointsman for the minister for defence research projects.

Both top officials have got a term for 2 years, though Reddy is expected to continue after that and would be a contender for top job of DG DRDO.
The new appointments come after DRDO chief Avinash Chander was removed from his post in January with Parrikar saying that the government wants to have a new, younger leadership for the organisation.

The splitting of the post ks first among a series of structural changes that are expected at DRDO in coming months.

It is still not clear how the responsibilities will be divided among the two as the ministry has not come out with a detailed notification.

Both officials are expected to be based in Delhi.