Letter to the defence minister by Shri C Srikumar, General Secretary, Leader / Staff Side, Departmental Council (JCM), Ministry of Defence
MOST URGENT
Date: 14th 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.
Respected Sir,
You are aware that we are repeatedly representing against the tenders floated by Army, Navy and Air Force for procurement of various dress items / uniform from private sectors deliberately ignoring the 4 Ordnance Factories under TCL. At present we are very much shocked to know that the Ministry of Defence on 01.12.2022 have floated an RFP / Tender for procurement of the abovementioned Parachute System, ignoring the Ordnance Parachute Factory, Kanpur under Glider India Limited (GIL).
You will appreciate that Ministry of Defence has declared Parachutes as Core item because of its strategic nature and it should be manufacture only in the Ordnance Factories especially OPF Kanpur. The Armed Forces are fully satisfied with the different types Parachutes being manufactured in the Ordnance Parachute Factory, Kanpur and when this is the fact we fail to understand that why the Ministry of Defence have floated an RFP / Tender for the procurement of Combat Free Fall Parachute System, ignoring the OPF, Kanpur.
You are aware that OPF, Kanpur under GIL is the only Ordnance Factory / DPSU under DDP / MoD having the State of Art Technology, infrastructure, expertise and highly competitive manpower in manufacturing and supplying of all types of Parachutes to the Armed Forces, MHA and even are exporting to many countries. It is a Factory of more than 80 years’ experience in manufacturing and supplying man Carrying Parachutes, Pilot Parachutes, Brake Parachutes, Supply Dropping Parachutes, Heavy Dropping Parachutes and illuminating Parachutes to the esteemed Armed Forces of our country. It is also pertinent to mention here that the OPF, Kanpur has already supplied the Combat Free Fall Parachutes System to the Armed Forces in the past. Despite all these facts and also the commitment given by the Hon’ble RM for handholding of the Ordnance Factories post Corporatization, the Ministry of Defence instead of directly placing the indent for the CFF Parachutes to Ordnance Parachute Factory under GIL has gone for an open tender, may be to favour certain private industries at the cost of Government owned OPF, Kanpur.
We protest against this step motherly treatment and we appeal to your honour to kindly intervene in the matter and issue directions for cancelling the tender dated 01.12.2022 and to straightaway place the indent on OPF, Kanpur under GIL.
An earlier and favourable action is expected.
With kindest regards,
Yours Sincerely,
(C. SRIKUMAR)
General Secretary
Leader / Staff Side
Departmental Council (JCM)
Ministry of Defence