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Rediff.com  » News » Ammo shortage? Production has gone up 18 per cent: Parrikar

Ammo shortage? Production has gone up 18 per cent: Parrikar

Source: PTI
May 21, 2015 22:58 IST
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Challenging the claims of the Comptroller and Auditor General about the shortage of ammunition for the army, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday said that production had increased by 18 per cent since last year.

A CAG report on ammunition management had pointed out that the army faced a massive ammunition shortage with reserves that would barely last 20 days of intense fighting. The army needs to build up its war wastage reserves for 40 days of intense fighting.

The minister said that after taking charge he has taken the task of stream lining projects and financial planning for the same.

"It is a 2013 report. After taking over, we put this on priority and did a follow-up. The Ordinance Factory Board has seen an increase in the level of production by 18 per cent. This has improved the criticality level," the defence minister said.

Parrikar was speaking at a Maharashtra Majha conference, organised by Marathi news channel ABP Majha, to mark a year of the Narendra Modi government.

Apart from Parrikar, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu and Anant Geete, Minister for Heavy Industries, were also present at the event.

The defence minister stressed that financial planning was crucial for the projects announced.

"Since 2005, there were 339 different projects pending at various stages. I ordered the unwanted projects to be closed as they were designed in 2005 and analysed the remaining ones to ascertain which one should be taken forward," he said.

Parrikar also rubbished reports that he was upset with the prime minister announcing government-to-government deal in case of buying the Rafale jets.

"I was very much on board when the decision was taken," Parrikar said.

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