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23 of DRDO’s 55 high-priority projects couldn’t meet deadlines: Govt
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt said nine of the 23 projects have undergone cost overruns
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Twenty-three of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’s 55 high-priority projects could not meet the deadlines, the government has said in Parliament.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, minister of state for defence Ajay Bhatt said nine of the 23 projects have undergone cost overruns. “However, not all cost overruns were necessitated due to time overruns.”
He added the 55 projects include those related to anti-air field weapons, solid fuel ducted ramjet technology, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range radars, combat vehicles, high endurance autonomous underwater vehicles, combat suits for submarines, submarine periscopes, etc.
Bhatt also informed the House that 1,35,743 posts, including 8,070 of officers, were vacant in the army as on March 10. He added 19,678 vacancies were filled up between January 1 and March 10.
Bhatt said there were 1,27,673 vacancies of junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and other ranks as on March 10 and 8,070 that of officers. He added 19,065 vacancies of JCOs and other ranks were filled up between January 1 and March 10. Bhatt said 613 vacancies of officers were filled during the period.
Bhatt said the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) exported an advanced light helicopter (ALH) Mk III and associated deliverables worth around ₹ 141.52 crore to Mauritius in January last year. He added the delivery was to be completed in 18 months, but the HAL completed it ahead of the schedule.
