REDUCING manpower in four Ordnance Factories has hurdled production of defence ammunition and weapons. Amidst a major challenge of face open tendering for defence products, Ordnance Factories are deprived of initiating big projects due to acute manpower shortage. The situation is alarming for Ordnance Factories to compete with the private firms in defence production due to absence of advanced production mechanism and shortage of industrial employees.

 

 

Total 41 Ordnance Factories have only 53,469 industrial employees against the sanctioned strength of total 1,07,488 employees. Shortfall of above 51 per cent manpower emerged a big challenge before factories to meet prevailing production targets. Most of the factories are working with previous year target and failed in obtaining new projects for development of factories. Jabalpur has four Ordnance Factories named Ordnance Factory Khamaria (OFK), Gun Carriage Factory (GCF), Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ) and Grey Iron Foundry (GIF). Manpower shortage has restrained potentials of these factories due to reducing number of industrial employees.

 

 

Sanctioned strength of these factories already curtailed in regular intervals in last two decades but the factories failed in filling current sanctioned strength. OFK is the biggest amongst four factories in Jabalpur with maximum number of sanctioned strength around 6,400 industrial employees but has current number of only 3,400 (approx.) employees. GCF is second major establishment which has only 1,600 remaining industrial employees and around 300 to 400 employees are engaged in administrative departments. VFJ, which has been declared as non-core group factory is eyeing major project with around 1,650 industrial employees and GIF has only 660 (approx.) industrial employees. All India Defence Employees Federation, National General Secretary, C Srikumar while talking to ‘The Hitavada’ informed that even after giving several representations the Ministry of Defence is yet to take any positive action to fill vacant posts in Ordnance Factories. MoD is expecting from OFs to compete with private firms but failed in fulfilling vacant posts and modernisation of Ordnance Factories.