Letter by Com. C Srikumar, General Secretary, Leader / Staff Side, Departmental Council (JCM), Ministry of Defence
MOST URGENT
Date: 13th January, 2023
Ref. No. 04/1004/Min./AIDEF/23
To,
Shri. Rajnath Singh ji,.
Honourable Defence Minister
Government of India
South Block, New Delhi – 110 001.
Subject: Protest against continuing step motherly treatment towards the 4 Ordnance Factories under TCL.
References:
- AIDEF Letter of even No. dated 14-02-2022 addressed to the Chief of Army Staff. 2) This Federation Letter of even No. dated 10-06-2022 addressed to the Honorable RM.
- This Federation Letter of even No. dated 10-06-2022 addressed to the Honorable RM.
- AIDEF Letter of even No. dated 20-09-2022 addressed to the Honorable RM.
- AIDEF Letter of even No. dated 29.09.2022 addressed to the Honorable RM.
- Army Hqrs/MGO Tender Enquiry GeM Bid No. GEM/2022/B/2579671 dated 06.10.2022
- AIDEF Letter of even No. dated 07.10.2022 addressed to the Honorable RM.
- Army Headquarters MGO Tender enquiry GeM Bid No. GEM/2022/B/2755088 dated 21.11.2022.
- AIDEF Letter of even No. dated 23.11.2022 addressed to the Honorable RM.
- AIDEF Letter of even No. dated 10.12.2022 addressed to the Honorable RM.
Sir,
This Federation has submitted innumerable number of representations to your honour against the step motherly treatment being meted towards the 4 Ordnance Factories under the TCL which manufacture all types of Troop Comfort Items including strategic Army Uniforms, Extreme Climate Clothing, Tents, Boots and other specialized equipment such as Body Armourer etc.
Post Corporatization, the MoD / DDP and Armed Forces are blatantly violating your commitments by not providing workload to the 4 Ordnance Factories under the TCL. This is a clear violation of your commitment that post corporatization, there will be a hand holding from the MoD for providing workload to the Ordnance Factories and financial and non-financial support.
Following are the violation of the assurance given by the Hon’ble RM being made by the MoD / DDP / DMA.
- DMA / Army Headquarters / MGS floated restrictive tender for procurement of 11,70,159 Combat Army Uniform Digital Print instead of directly placing the indent on the 4 Ordnance Factories under TCL. The conditions are so restrictively framed thereby banning the participation of the 4 Ordnance Factories under TCL even in the tender. Despite our repeated representations in this regard to your honour, the MGS is going ahead for placing the indent to some private industries ignoring the government owned 4 Ordnance Factories established for this purpose.
- Tender dated 11.01.2023 floated by the Department of Military Affairs / Indian Air Force for procurement of 3,48,400 overall (Ground Crew) (Q-3) without placing the indent to the TCL. In this regard your kind attention is invited to the DO Letter written by Air Vice Marshal Biju Paul on 21st August, 2018 to the then General Manager / Ordnance Clothing Factory, Avadi in which he has appreciated the efforts of OCF Avadi for standardization of sizes for garment and development of garment such as Overall Sage Green, Short Gymnasium and Coat Combat. He made special appreciation about the overall sage green being designed and manufactured by OCF, Avadi. This Letter is available with OCF, Avadi.
- Tender dated 09.01.2023 floated by Department of Military Affairs / Indian Navy for procurement of 11,2632 of the following items :- Shirt Disposable Size M (Q3), Shirt Disposable Size Large (Q3), Short Disposable Size Small (Q3), Short Disposable Size Medium (Q3), Short Disposable Size Large (Q3), Shirt Disposable Full Sleeve Ex/Large (Q3), Shirt Disposable Full Sleeve Large (Q3), Shirt Disposable Full Sleeves Medium (Q3), Shirt Disposable Full Sleeves Small (Q3), Trouser Disposable Ex/Large (Q3), Trouser Disposable Large (Q3), Trouser Disposable Medium (Q3), Trouser Disposable Small (Q3).
Despite OCF, Avadi in the past manufactured lakhs of these items to the satisfaction of Indian Navy, the indent is not placed on TCL.
Due to the above developments of not placing indent on the Ordnance Factories and floating tenders to favour private industries, more than 6 thousand Defence Civilian Employees including 2 thousand women employees have now come to the conclusion that they are being treated even worse than step children by the MoD / DMA / DDP.
Being the head of the Ministry of Defence, we appeal to your honour to take necessary steps to remove this feeling from the minds of the employees by placing the indent for the above mentioned stores required for Army, Navy and Air Force to the 4 Ordnance Factories under TCL and to save the Ordnance Factories and its employees.
Awaiting for your earlier and favourable action please We are confident that at least for this Letter we will receive a positive response from your office.
With kindest regards,
Yours Sincerely,
(C. SRIKUMAR)
General Secretary
Leader / Staff Side
Departmental Council (JCM)
Ministry of Defence